The Final Reckoning Pt II: The Woman Unknown
by Ben Pieper
Summary: Passion, horror and war all clash together as the Aralla War takes on an entirely different form, one that will inflict great cost on Picard and all those around him before it is over... Part II of the Final Reckoning Trilogy.
1. A Decision

Star Trek: The Next Generation

The Final Reckoning Trilogy – Part II

Forgotten Faces

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("Admiral, you will always be welcome on the Enterprise….")

Captain Picard to Admiral Nechayev, 2370

Captain's Log: Stardate 50991.8 – As an addendum to my previous log entry, I must report a very strange encounter with the being we know as Q. I believe that the details, are, as yet, too sensitive to become public yet, and so I have attached them to this log to be sealed in Starfleet Archives until the year 2474. It has, however, left me with some unfinished business to attend to....

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Chapter I

'I would be immensely surprised,' said Captain Jean-Luc Picard, 'if any of you were aware of the reason for which I have summoned you here.' He looked along the briefing room table.

His senior staff; that is, Commander Will Riker, Commander Data, Commander Geordi La Forge, Doctor Beverly Crusher, Counsellor Deanna Troi and Lieutenant Ghia Hedly all returned to him various puzzled looks. In addition to their presence, Lieutenant Rosanna Thames looked at him from beside Lieutenant Hedly. Picard hid a brief smile, unsurprised by their reactions. However, before he could speak again, Data answered. 'I surmise, Captain, that it has to do with your strange behaviour two hours ago.'

Picard gave the android a piercing look that told him that he was not, as he had professed he would be, immensely surprised. More like immensely annoyed. The android recognised this look, something he had been getting better at since his emotion chip had been fitted, and he fell silent.

However, at this moment, Picard's mood was too expansive to be affected by his second officer's perceptiveness. 'You are correct, Data. It is linked to my strange behaviour.'

He got up and paced around the room as he spoke. 'When we detected a dimensional anomaly in the Neutral Zone approximately four hours ago, we decided to set course towards it.'

'Yes, sir,' interrupted Data, unwilling or unable to let this one go, 'but the anomaly seems to have disappeared and the Romulan Warbirds that scanned the area confirmed it. They may have been lying of course.'

Picard smiled. 'Believe me, they're telling the truth. If they had found what I know to have been there, we would have received a very panicky distress call by now.'

'I don't understand, Captain,' said Riker. 'Maybe you had better explain from the beginning.'

'I fully intend to, Number One,' said Picard, realising, not for the first time, how much his first officer meant to him. 'I have experienced an alternate reality with Q.'

The crew reacted in various ways. Data leaned forward slightly, his face taking on scientific curiosity. Hedly jolted upright, her security instincts taking over. Troi narrowed her eyes briefly, obviously using her empathic powers to ascertain if he was lying or not. Riker, as he seemed to with everything in his life, took it in his stride. Crusher gasped, and La Forge joined her surprised expression with his own. Thames, on the other hand, did not react at all. And, to Picard's gratification, they all took him at his word.

'Is this the alternate reality that you are experiencing, sir?' asked Riker. 'If it is –'

'You would relieve me of command, I know,' said Picard. 'No, I have actually returned from this experience as of two hours ago. I have, in the space of what seemed to you to be a moment, gained the memories of forty years.'

'Forty years?' repeated Crusher, incredulous. 'Sir, that sounds like your experience with the Kataan probe.'

Picard nodded. 'Exactly. At the time, I did not realise that it was an alternate reality. I believed that everything that happened there was happening here. It was only when Q appeared that I even suspected.'

'Sir, what did Q do it for?' asked Troi.

'Good question,' smiled Picard. 'He gave me a set of reasons, most of which I am sure are accurate, but who knows what Q does anything for? He once again informed me of the trial of humanity and once again intimated that it was over.'

'Sir, with respect, after what Q told you last time, he is likely to be leading you up the garden path,' said La Forge sardonically.

'That was my first thought too,' replied Picard. 'However, he seems to have changed somewhat since we first met him. He seems a lot more human than before.'

Riker grinned for a moment. 'Sounds like he's catching our evil disease.'

Picard stared at him for a moment. Another William Riker had said that exact same sentence only a few days before Earth had been destroyed. Troi abruptly leaned forward, her face full of concern. 'Captain, are you all right?'

Picard brought himself back, dimly realising that he had gone distant for a moment. He glanced along the table. All of his officers had puzzlement written across their faces, but Thames –

Thames had genuine worry and concern on her face. She covered it well but the distress in her eyes could not be faked. And Picard wondered, How could I have missed it for so long?

'Yes, I'm fine, Counsellor,' said Picard. 'As I was saying, Q was not exactly the same person as we once knew him to be. He seemed to understand us better. He also seemed to be older.'

'Older?' echoed Data. 'From memory, the Q do not age.'

Picard nodded. 'And yet, he seemed older. I cannot explain it.'

'Sir, I think it might be better if you gave us the entire story,' said Riker.

'Correct as always, Number One,' said Picard, taking his seat at the head of the table again. 'However, I must ask you all to not speak of this outside of these four walls and not with anyone other than yourselves. I have sealed the events in Starfleet Archives for one century, but I have specific reasons for telling you.'

One by one they all nodded. Picard knew that he could trust them.

So he told them. He told them of the first contact with the Aralla, of their emergence from the dimensional rift. He told them of their destruction of Korella II, and their unprovoked attack upon the _Enterprise_. He spoke at length of their almost invulnerable ships, the city destroyers and the mother ships. He told of their destruction of Romulus and of the flight to Earth.

He spoke of their destructive path through the Romulan Star Empire and the Klingon Empire, and of their devastation of Qo'nos. He told of the defence massing at Earth, and of the destruction visited upon Cardassia and Ferenginar.

He spoke also of his crew's promotions and his own to Grand Admiral of Starfleet. As he remembered it, he realised the intense pride that he had found in the office. He spoke Riker's to command of the _Enterprise_, Data's to command of the Hood, and of the other changes that took place in the complement of the _Enterprise_. He watched their individual reactions, gaining dark, secret glee from their mixture of horror and pleasure.

Picard went on to the attack on Earth itself; of Deanna's death aboard the Azetbur. Of Admiral Nechayev's duplicity, for which he now had a reason. He spoke of the destruction of Earth, Mars, the moon colonies, and of the entire Solar System.

He told of the retreat to _Deep Space Nine_, of his own nervous breakdown. He told of the mission to retrieve the Borg Invasive Program from Veridian III and of Beverly's death at his own hands. He spoke of the offer by the Dominion to help them. He told of the final, savage attack on DS9, and of the flight through the wormhole after the destruction of Bajor and DS9.

He told of the savage attack on the Wadi planet by the Jem'Hadar Fleet and of Riker's death in that battle. He told of their retreat to the Delta Quadrant, of Data's resignation and his and Odo's search for the Founders.

He told of the long, tedious journey to the Borg Collective, and of their plan to recruit them into the Fleet. He spoke of Data's journey, as far as he could reconstruct it, and of their discovery aboard the mother ship. He spoke of their successful encounter with the Borg. He also told them the true story of his defeat of the Borg Queen, and his assumption of the leadership of the Collective. He neglected to mention the contact with _Voyager_, believing that their survival had to be verified first.

Picard told of Odo's death, and Data's subsequent return to the Fleet. He spoke of the audacious plan to defeat the Aralla. He spoke of Data and Worf's mission to the mother ship to retrieve an attack plane and of Worf's death. He told of the infiltration of the fleet by the horribly familiar parasites.

He told of the frenzied preparations for the final battle against the Aralla, and of his, Data's and La Forge's attack on the mother ship. He spoke of their successful planting of the Invasive Program aboard the Aralla vessel, and of their struggle to escape. He recalled the horrific battle against the Aralla and their eventual victory, sending the last Aralla mother ship to the grave, the grave which also condemned the Borg Collective to death by the destruction of the Unicomplex.

He told of the destruction of the _Enterprise_, and of the crash of the attack plane on Vegryo VII. He told of his discovery of Data and Geordi's bodies, and of his eventual rescue by Ben Sisko.

'So,' Picard concluded, 'that was the Aralla War.'

For a moment, there was total silence. And then, Thames piped up. 'Sir, would you tell us what came after?'

Picard nodded slowly. 'We celebrated for days afterward. Although the Fleet left Borg space almost immediately after the final battle, we took our celebration onto the ships. We began planning for the future, and eventually, when we returned to the Alpha Quadrant, we began the task of rebuilding.' His voice became more and more proud of what they had achieved there. 'Eventually, our disparate worlds became part of a single Galactic Federation. We united the galaxy in a way that had never been seen before.'

Picard glanced at them. 'And that is when Q explained it all to me. He clarified things in a way that I had never had before. And that is when he offered me my second chance. To return to the _Enterprise_ and lose all that I had there.' He only just kept himself from glancing at Thames, knowing that she was the biggest thing he had sacrificed to return.

'And I chose you.' He glanced along the table at them all again, keeping their faces in his memory. 'I would like your comments.'

'Our comments are irrelevant,' said Data. 'Your story is masterful.'

Riker nodded. 'It appears, sir, that we have been given a reprieve.'

Picard agreed and said so. 'However,' he continued, 'I have a good reason for telling you all this.'

'Something to do with Admiral Nechayev, sir?' asked Hedly, her security instincts coming back to the fore.

'Correct, Lieutenant,' said Picard. 'I have reason to believe that Admiral Nechayev was infested by one of the parasites that possessed Lieutenant Barclay, and that it is entirely possible that she is still being co-opted by the enemy.'

'But, sir, you told us the Aralla did not exist in our reality,' protested Beverly.

'That is true; however, they have already managed to infiltrate Starfleet once before. I do not intend to allow them to have another opportunity.'

Riker said, 'Are we to begin an investigation on our own?'

'No, Will,' said Picard. 'At this moment, we have no evidence. However, we will be keeping a covert eye on Admiral Nechayev's actions. As soon as she makes a mistake, I will stop her.'

Riker nodded. 'Until then we keep quiet about it?'

'Correct, Number One.' Picard stood slowly. 'If that is all, then return to your posts.'

As his staff filed out, Deanna Troi turned and let the door shut. She faced Picard, who smiled. 'I had a feeling that you would want to remain behind, Counsellor.'

Troi stepped towards him. 'Sir, I am getting some decidedly odd feelings from you. They're emotions that –'

'You've only once felt from me, correct?' said Picard. 'And the last time was when I was involved with Neela Daren.'

'I see you are already aware,' said Troi, a smile on her face.

'Yes, Counsellor, and I have already acknowledged and accepted these feelings.'

'It is Lieutenant Thames, isn't it?' asked Troi quietly. She had already guessed, but she wished to have confirmation.

'Yes, Counsellor. I didn't wish to say it out loud in front of you all, but in this alternate universe, I fell in love with and married Lieutenant Thames. We were husband and wife for forty years.'

Troi whistled softly. 'This must have been a hell of a jolt for you to come back.'

'It has been very joyful as well as stressful, Counsellor.' Picard turned and looked out at the stars. 'I loved her with all of my heart those forty years. But I could never be sure if she had married me more out of pity than love. At the end of the war, I was very nearly a broken man. All of my closest friends had died. My world had been destroyed. My family was gone. I had killed a woman I loved with my own hands. I had so much to do in the future. It seemed that we had so little time for ourselves.'

'And so you always felt that she loved you for what you had lost than for what you were and what you had given?' said Troi.

Picard turned, a half-smile on his face. 'That's it exactly, Counsellor. And now that I've been given a second chance, I don't know what to do.'

Troi saw the way forward clearly. She knew the feelings of both parties and she knew that it would be only fair on Picard if she could confirm Thames' feelings for him. However, her own code could only permit her to give him clues. 'Captain, I don't think you realise how much it must have taken for Thames to marry a man who was more than twice her age.'

'Thank you for reminding me,' said Picard pointedly.

'Sir, when you and Neela Daren were… involved, all I felt between you was a bond in your music, not a true love that could have truly stood the test of time.'

'What are you saying, Counsellor?' asked Picard quietly.

'You and Lieutenant Thames are what Betazoids call _Imzadi_.'

'I've heard that word before,' said Picard thoughtfully.

'Commander Riker was my _Imzadi_, sir,' said Troi. 'When we met on Betazed, I could tell that we would be together, always. That was how I knew he was the one.'

'I see your point. Does Rosanna know this?'

Troi frowned. 'Ros-? Oh, I see what you mean.'

'I apologise. After you've been married to someone for forty years, it's sometimes difficult to call them lieutenant again.'

'I understand,' replied Troi. 'Sir, it's against Betazoid practices to give away information about people's emotions. I've been stretching the code just telling you this. However, I informed her that you were experiencing emotions for her, but nothing more.'

'Thank you, Counsellor,' said Picard gratefully. 'I appreciate the favour.'

'Anytime, Captain.' Picard's next question surprised Troi.

'What do you suggest I do now, Counsellor?'

Troi opened her mouth to reply on automatic, and then closed it, making her look like a goldfish for an instant. 'Sir, that's up to you,' she replied at last. Picard had never asked for romantic advice before.

'She's a young officer just beginning her career, while I'm a grizzled old war-horse –'

'Not you, sir,' interrupted Troi, who just couldn't resist.

'Counsellor, she's a young woman who's going to outlive me by quite a few years. I don't want to tie her to one relationship this early in her life. It would be wrong of me.'

'Captain, with respect, Lieutenant Thames might not think so.'

Picard stared silently at Troi for a long moment. 'Thank you, Counsellor. You've given me a lot to think about.'

'My pleasure, Captain,' Deanna replied.

She turned and left the room. Picard paused for a moment, and relegated the matter to the back of his mind. He leaned forward and pressed a button. 'Lieutenant Hedly, can you get me a channel to _Deep Space Nine_, for Captain Sisko?'

'Aye, sir. It'll take me a little while, because of our distance. When I do, I'll patch the signal to your ready room, shall I?'

'Thank you, Lieutenant,' said Picard, and closed the channel. He now knew the capabilities of this crew better than he had two hours before. He stood and left the briefing room.

Stepping onto the bridge, he paused for a moment, and observed the activity. Lieutenant Hedly was stood at tactical, with Riker looking over her shoulder. Counsellor Troi had just sat in her seat by his command chair, and was looking at a padd. Ensign Bridges was sat at the helm, and Data was at the Ops console. Thames was nowhere to be seen, and Picard felt a faint pang of disappointment.

Gathering himself, he stepped down the side of the bridge and entered his ready room. As he passed Riker, he said, 'Number One, can you just join me in my ready room for the moment?'

Riker nodded and, after a quick word with Hedly, he followed.

Entering the ready room, Picard picked up a padd that was lying on the table. He faced Riker. 'Commander, I have a few crew changes that I would like you to put into place immediately.'

Riker took the proffered padd and scanned it. 'Lieutenant Thames to Ops relief and Ensign Truper from security to command training and full helm duties? Lieutenant Hedly promoted to Lieutenant Commander?' Riker glanced up at his captain. 'Any reason, sir?'

'I have seen a universe where I didn't have any of you to back me up, Will,' said Picard, smiling, as he sat behind his desk. 'In that battle, these three especially served me magnificently as back up to when I lost you all. Ensign Truper turned out to be an excellent helmsman; Lieutenant Hedly to be a security chief as good as Tasha and Worf were. Lieutenant Thames has the ability to take over as Ops chief.' He leaned back in his chair. 'I'm attempting to do something I should have begun a long time ago, Will. 

'I'm planning on retiring.'

'He's planning on what?' This from Data, as Riker told them his news around the poker table. Deanna and Beverly both looked stunned, and Geordi and Data glanced at each other in shock.

'Why?' asked Beverly, her voice full of the same disbelief that Riker was feeling.

'He said something about allowing a younger generation to come forward.' At La Forge's sceptical look, Riker added, 'He's serious. He gave me a list of crew changes he intends to implement in the next year or so. Listen: He's moving Lieutenant Thames to Ops to replace Data who will receive a full-grade promotion to Commander and become first officer. Lieutenant Hedly is to be promoted to Lieutenant-Commander. Deanna, you're to become second officer. I'm to be given a full-grade promotion to Captain the day he retires and to take command of the _Enterprise_. He's named others, but that's just part of it. He's serious about it, isn't he?'

Deanna slowly nodded. 'I think so, yes. It's entirely possible that he is still being affected by this alternate reality he told us about.'

'I don't think so. I think he's been thinking like this for a while; possibly since we lost the _Enterprise-D_. His brother and nephew's deaths hit him pretty hard,' said Beverly.

'I agree,' said Geordi. 'Thing is, what are we going to do about it?'

'Should we do anything?' argued Data. 'It is his decision.'

'I agree with Data,' said Beverly. 'Everything has to come to an end sooner or later.'

There was silence around the table, before Deanna coughed and said, 'I think I know what's brought this on….'

'Captain?' Hedly's voice came clearly through into Picard's quarters. He glanced up from the book he was reading.

'Yes, Lieutenant?'

'Sir, I'm sorry it took this long, but I've got that channel to _DS9_.'

'Excellent,' said Picard, putting down his book and swivelling his viewer to face him. 'Put it through down here.'

'Aye, sir,' replied Hedly. A moment later, Ben Sisko's face appeared on screen, looking decidedly cheerful.

'Good evening, Ad- Captain,' he said, suddenly realising his understandable _faux pas_. 'What can I do for you?'

Picard experienced a moment of recollection. I don't hold you responsible for the death of my wife anymore, Admiral…. 'You remember too, don't you, Ben?' he whispered.

Sisko paused a moment, but remembered who he was speaking to. 'The Aralla?' he asked.

Picard nodded. 'The Aralla.'

'Yes, Captain Picard. I can't remember many of the details, but I do know something. I forgave you.'

'Outside the attack plane?'

'It still counts, Captain, even between universes.'

They talked for an hour afterward.

'I still can't believe this,' said Riker, as soon as Deanna finished speaking. 'Why should the fact that he loves Lieutenant Thames be driving him to retire?'

'I can't explain that, Will,' said Troi. 'All I know is that they love each other but refuse to admit it.'

'You mentioned that there was something more to it, Counsellor,' added Geordi.

Deanna sighed. 'Yes. They're not just in love. From what I have seen, they're also _Imzadi_.' Riker gave her a sharp look.

'_Imzadi_?' repeated Geordi.

'It's a Betazoid word. Its closest Earth translation is "beloved", but on Betazed, it means a lot more than that.'

'What does it mean to a Betazoid?' asked Beverly.

Troi glanced quickly at Riker. 'It means those who are bonded. Not telepathically, but spiritually. They are fated to meet because they are perfect for each other. Each half complements the other. It's similar to an old Earth word; "soulmate".'

'Are you telling us that Captain Picard and Lieutenant Thames are fated?' asked Beverly incredulously.

'I know it sounds preposterous, but it is the way Betazoids have looked at it for centuries. Not many are suited like this. For some, it is a close friend rather than a lover or a partner. However, your _Imzadi_ is effectively your other half. And once you meet, you are complete.'

'It is a subconscious reaction?' asked Data, always able to get down past the metaphysics.

'Exactly,' said Deanna. 'Coincidence continually throws these pairs together. Once you have found the other half, you will be content to remain there forever.'

'Sorry?'

'Look at it this way, Will. Captain Picard is a roving soul. He is an adventurer, not a man to settle down. However, he has met Lieutenant Thames – in another reality he has married her. He was happy there.'

'And he wishes to go back to it?' said Riker incredulously.

'Only the captain can tell you that. All I know is that, sooner or later, coincidence is going to throw them together. And then God alone knows what's going to happen.'

She had heard their screams from afar; felt their deaths in the heat of fire and in the terrible cold of space. She had moaned as the vermin had mercilessly hunted down their last survivors. She had watched their superiority vanish in beams of coruscating energy.

Her pain had diminished somewhat, but oh! the lingering loneliness that remained, long after the last howl had perished along with its maker.

Her only consolation was the knowledge that she herself had not been detected. Still in a position to cause damage, she knew that she would be found soon. She did not intend to become the vermin's prize of war: even in a war they did not know they were fighting.

She would return to her universe, find those who had not come through. She would bring them all and devastate this universe in fire and blood. She would complete in this universe what had failed in the other. Her vengeance would be soon....


	2. Emotional Adjustment

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Chapter II

0700 hours, Tuesday morning. Jean-Luc Picard stepped out of the turbolift and suddenly realised that the number of times that he performed that simple action was coming to an end.

He had informed Starfleet Command of his intention to retire at the end of the year. Admiral Paris had spoken to him at length that night, trying to persuade him to reconsider and then, seeing that he could not, trying to ascertain his reasons for doing so. Picard had not disclosed the reasons for doing so, mainly because he had to decide for himself what he was going to tell the crew today. He had decided to announce it when the whole day shift was in full swing, telling them that he had decided to retire, and let Commander Riker take command.

Fortunately, Starfleet had agreed with all of his recommendations, so the changeover would be mercifully smooth. Once they had accepted the fact that he was leaving, Starfleet had practically fallen over themselves to make Riker captain. Despite what had been said each time that he had refused his own command in the past, Starfleet still regarded Riker highly enough to give him his first command as captain of the flagship.

Picard took his seat in the command chair, and brought up a display of status reports from the night shift on his chair-arm viewer. Scanning through them, he waited for the rest of his senior staff to arrive.

A few minutes later, they did so. Riker entered first from the forward turbolift. He glanced at Picard, and his expression clouded for a moment, before he took his place at his captain's right hand. 'Good morning, sir,' he said perfunctorily.

'Good morning, Number One,' Picard replied, his mood still good. 'Sleep well?'

'I suppose so, sir,' said Riker, his tone neutral.

Picard refused to take offence, knowing his friend's reasons. He glanced up as the forward turbolift slid open and admitted Data, who nodded to the captain and took his place at Ops. Picard did frown this time, not understanding why his entire senior staff appeared to take exception to his presence.

Troi walked in from the other side of the bridge, and Picard turned, expecting a civil greeting from his ship's counsellor. No such luck however. She merely inclined her head and sat down. Picard abruptly realised what Riker had done. And he knew that by telling them all, he had made his captain's job that much harder. By assuming that Riker would be pleased to see him go, Picard realised that he had misjudged Riker's, and indeed, his entire senior staff's, loyalty to him.

Still, Picard had made his decision and he was determined to go through with it.

Picard stood. 'Before we begin this morning,' he said, making his voice heard and getting his crew's attention, 'I have something to say to you all.'

Before him, Data tensed slightly. Ensign Bridges turned to face her captain. He glanced at Riker and Troi, both of whom carried expressions of foreboding. He could sense Hedly standing almost at attention behind him, in her style that reminded him so much of Tasha.

'I have served Starfleet faithfully my entire career: first aboard the Stargazer, then the _Enterprise_ in both her incarnations. I have fought on its behalf and I have explored on its behalf. I have now come to a stage when I find that it is no more what I wish to do. And it is with heavy heart that I announce my decision to retire at the end of the year, stardate 51162. For those of you who may still be used to an Earth calendar, I will step down as Captain of the _Enterprise_ in three weeks from now. In my place will be Commander Riker.' He glanced down at his Number One, who had covered his face in his hands. 'I hope that he will be as successful with this crew as I have reputedly been. For those of you who have served under my command on the _Enterprise-D_, I give you my gratitude and heartfelt thanks. To those of you who have only served on this _Enterprise_, I wish you the best of luck for the future and hope that you will serve Commander Riker as well as you have served me. That is all.' He glanced back at Hedly who stood as if rooted to the deck, looking as if she could be knocked over with a feather. 'Lieutenant, will you join me in my ready room in five minutes?'

Hedly nodded stiffly, face pale. Picard stepped down from the slight dais upon which his chair sat, and looked around the bridge. 'Carry on.' He entered his ready room, glancing once at the group of shocked, pale faces.

And behind him, the bridge nearly exploded.

'Retire!' said Riker explosively, at last letting his pent-up tension out in one breath. 'What the hell for?'

'Unknown, sir,' said Data stiffly, his emotion chip obviously inactive. He gave the lie to this assumption by adding, 'It is possible that he has gone stark raving mad, however.'

Hedly had gone totally slack-jawed. 'Lieutenant!' said Riker.

'Y – Yes, sir?' said Hedly, obviously stunned.

'The captain wanted to see you,' said Riker less roughly.

'Yes, sir,' repeated Hedly. She made no effort to move. Riker sighed.

'Now, lieutenant!'

Hedly jerked once and abruptly recovered herself. She walked down from the tactical console and entered the ready room.

'Come.' Picard glanced up as Hedly entered. 'Ah, lieutenant. Would you like to take a seat?'

Hedly sat, her long body obviously uncomfortable, her eyes the only part of her that displayed real emotion.

Picard gazed at her for a moment. He had come to like and trust his new Chief of Security. She reminded him of Tasha Yar in so many ways, but also of Worf. In her own style, she combined the best of both of them, but had her own methods as well. 'Lieutenant,' he began, 'I have been impressed with your record in Starfleet, as well as your time onboard the _Enterprise_.'

'Thank you, sir,' she answered stiffly.

'I won't beat about the bush. I hereby promote you to Lieutenant Commander.'

Hedly fought to hide a smile, but failed. 'Thank you very much, sir. Will there be any change in my duties?'

'Not unless Commander Riker wishes there to be so.' Hedly was brought immediately back to the present, and her pleasure vanished in a moment, to be replaced by simmering anger. Picard ignored it.

'If that is all, then sir, I would like to return to my duties,' she said.

'Very well, Lieutenant Commander. Carry on.'

Without a further word, Hedly stood up gracefully, and left the ready room. Picard leant back in his chair, rubbing his temples. Obviously, he had misjudged his entire crew's reaction. He abruptly realised that he had one other thing to do. He leant forward and pressed the intercom.

Deanna Troi nudged Riker a few minutes later. 'Look who's here,' she whispered, mischief written over her face and into her tone.

Riker looked up to see Lieutenant Thames entering the captain's ready room. 'She's got a lot to answer for,' he said quietly.

'It's not her fault the captain's decided to retire,' retorted Troi, equally quietly.

'I can't think of a single bigger reason,' replied Riker, his tone indicating that the conversation was at an end. He glanced back at the padd he was reading.

Troi didn't need her empathic powers to see that Will was deeply angry, upset and hurt by Picard's decision. She could detect Hedly's mixed shock and pleasure at her promotion. She could not sense Data's feelings, but tension was inscribed in every movement of his body. She could sense the turmoil in the crew as it slowly rippled outwards like waves in a pool of water.

As for herself, she was also upset, but also concerned for the captain. She knew that like all _Imzadi_, once he left the _Enterprise_ and tried to settle down, away from Thames, he would be possessed with the desire to find her again. She suspected his reasons behind his retirement, but she also knew that taking this course of action would be the worst possible thing that he could do.

Picard looked up as Thames walked in and, as always in her presence, a feeling of closeness entered his body. 'You wished to see me, Captain?' she said, her voice a shower of musical cadences.

'Yes, Lieutenant.' He would never know how he managed to keep his voice level when she was near. He leant back and watched her for a moment. 'I wished to speak with you about your future.'

'My future, sir?' echoed Thames.

'Yes.' Picard suddenly noticed an unaccustomed sensation – he was fidgeting! He quickly put his hands on the arms of his chair. 'Where do you see yourself in five years, Lieutenant?'

'In five years, sir? I would hope to be a regular bridge officer, possibly Lieutenant Commander by that time.'

Thames looked back at the man she loved, suddenly realising that she knew what he was about to say. 'To answer your next question, sir, I do hope to enter into command training.'

Judging from Picard's expression, she had been correct in her suspicion.

'I'm glad to see that you have ambition, Lieutenant.' Picard glanced down for a second, and then gazed into her eyes. 'You may not yet know this, but I have decided to retire.'

Thames stared at him in total disbelief for a brief moment. 'R- retire, sir?'

'Yes, Lieutenant. In three weeks.' Utter panic washed over her, followed by worry, horror, pain, anger, and finally despair, all compounded by the feeling that she would never see him again.

'I don't know what to say, sir.' _Oh yes you do!_ screamed her mind. _Tell him you love him and that you don't want to be apart from him ever!_ 'Are you sure it's the right decision?' Picard's sharp glance told Thames that she had gone right to the heart of the matter, as if she could read his mind.

'I believe so, yes,' replied Picard eventually, after scrutinising her for a moment.

'Then it would not be my right to argue, sir,' replied Thames, misery creeping through her mind. 'May I go now?'

Picard nearly – nearly raised his hand as if he had something else to say, and then he lowered it. 'There is one other thing, Lieutenant Thames.'

Hope rose. 'Sir?'

'I have recommended that you be moved to Ops to become Mr. Data's understudy. When I retire, he will become first officer, and so I wish to have someone capable there to replace him. I believe that you will be eminently suitable.'

So crushing was the sense of disappointment and loss that Thames barely registered Picard's words. 'Thank you, sir. I'll do my best. May I go now?' she asked again.

'Very well, Lieutenant. Carry on.' Thames turned as best she could, and left the ready room.

Riker glanced up as Picard's ready room door hissed open and Thames left. As she entered the turbolift, her hand went to her eyes and the lift doors slid shut, hiding her crying from the crew. Riker glanced at Troi. 'I wonder what he said to her.'

'The truth, I expect.'

'About his retirement?'

'Yes, Will,' said Troi. 'Not the other thing. I doubt she would have been that upset if he had confessed.'

'No,' said Riker thoughtfully.

Thames rushed to her quarters, hiding her tears of shame and sorrow. She got behind the cover of the door and locked it, listening to the sound of her heart beating. She had never known full-blown horror and despair before today, but it seemed as if a flame inside her had faded and died when Picard told her he was retiring. She swallowed a sob, and then remembered his face when he had told her.

She burst into tears.

Picard sat, his head in his hands when the door bleeped. For a moment, he ignored it, hoping that the intruder upon his anguish would simply go away. When the door bleeped insistently, however, he looked up, blinking back tears. 'Come in.' His voice was raw, he noted almost automatically.

Counsellor Troi entered, and from her face, she had noticed that there was a problem. 'Should I come back later?' she inquired cautiously.

Picard straightened. 'No, Counsellor. Come in and have a seat.'

'Captain, what did you tell Lieutenant Thames?' asked Troi, getting right to the point.

'Is it –'

'Yes, it is my business!' Troi cut him off sternly. 'I have reason to believe that your emotional state is getting in the way of your command effectiveness, Captain!'

Picard stared at her, and slowly, almost unbidden, a small smile crept onto his face. 'Thank you for putting me in my place, Counsellor.'

Troi smiled. 'As I said before, Captain; my pleasure.' Her smile disappeared. 'However, I do think that your feelings for Lieutenant Thames are disrupting your ability to think clearly and also disrupting the crew's mood.' She sighed. 'Your sudden decision to retire has upset the entire crew. I am afraid that you may have misjudged their reaction.'

Picard looked apologetic. 'I thought they would be glad to see the back of me,' he said quietly.

'No, sir. Never.' Troi's voice was quiet but intense. 'We all care deeply for you. Will's not an ambitious exec always ready to stab his captain in the back and to take his place. We've all been in the same position for nearly ten years now, and we've all become accustomed to our place in the system. I'm not saying that we're resistant to change, but that any change mustn't be sudden and wrenching like you've made it.'

'The crew will adjust –'

'Yes, but just dropping out like this will create a situation in which Will Riker will find it difficult to carry the crew across the transition period. If you had built up to it, possibly it would have been a lot easier. As it is, you've hurt a lot of people's feelings; including Lieutenant Thames.'

The captain jerked as if stung. 'What do you mean?'

'When she left your ready room, she looked in a bad state, sir. I've decided to go and see her after I've left here, but I recommend that you discuss your feelings.'

'With whom?'

'Me first. After a few meetings on a professional basis, we will go on from there.'

Picard nodded and then he did something that caught Deanna completely by surprise. He sniffed. 'Understood. Send the details here as soon as you wish.'

'Yes, Captain. I would like to start on Thursday at 1500, if I may.'

Picard mustered a smile. 'I'll be there.'

Riker sat back in the captain's chair, attempting to get used to it, when he noticed Troi leaving the ready room. 'Deanna!' he called, but she disappeared into the turbolift.

A moment later, Picard's voice sounded. 'Number One, will you join me in my ready room for a moment, please?'

'On my way, sir,' replied Riker, grimacing only slightly.

Inside the turbolift, Deanna rehearsed what she was going to say to an obviously distraught Lieutenant Thames.

At deck thirteen, the turbolift slowed to a halt, and Deanna stepped out. She walked along the corridor until she reached Thames' quarters. Knocking on the door, she listened intently. There was a sound of things being moved, and then Thames' voice. 'Go away.'

'It's Counsellor Troi, Lieutenant,' said Deanna. 'I would like to talk. I think you might want to as well.'

There was a silent pause, and then Thames opened the door. Troi looked at her. Her cheeks were stained with tears and her eyes were puffy with crying. Troi knew that if Picard had seen her like this, he would never have forgiven himself.

She stepped quickly into the room, allowing the door to close behind her. Thames forced a smile and gestured to a seat. 'Won't you sit down, Counsellor?'

Deanna nodded. 'After you.' Thames sat quickly, as if her legs were about to give way. Deanna sat opposite her, and tried to assess her emotional state. 'Lieutenant, what's the matter?' As if I didn't know!

'Nothing's wrong, Counsellor,' said Thames, nearly assuredly. 'What makes you think that there is?'

'Do I get three guesses?' replied Troi acidly.

Thames glanced down for a second. 'Sorry, Counsellor.'

'Call me Deanna. It'll be much easier.'

'I think that I just got a bit surprised by what Captain Picard said to me.'

'What did he say?' asked Troi, knowing that she had to get the root of the problem.

'He told me that I was going to be Mr Data's understudy until he became first officer. Then I'd go to Ops permanently.'

'Why is Mr. Data becoming first officer?'

Thames sniffed. 'Because Commander Riker's becoming the captain.'

'And why –'

'Because Jean-Luc's retiring!' Thames dissolved into tears again.

Deanna, if she had not known it was coming, would have been surprised that Thames thought of him so familiarly. But, she thought as she reached out to Thames, it was the only natural way that she thought of him. She wrapped her arms round the other woman, letting her anguish soak away.

And, she swore, she would get these two together, or she would resign herself.

Riker strode into Picard's ready room, expecting to be handed another batch of crew reassignments and to be dismissed peremptorily. And, he admitted freely, he would deserve it. Picard would be angry at his behaviour this morning.

However, thought the first officer, for the way his captain had been behaving lately, Picard needed to be brought around by something.

To Riker's surprise though, he was given neither a stern lecture (which he would have summarily ignored), any more crew assignments (with which he would have performed his duty with bad grace) or a summary dismissal. Picard was looking out at the stars when Riker entered.

'You wanted to see me, Captain?' said Riker, still annoyed.

'Yes, Number One,' replied Picard, turning and facing his first officer. 'I wish to apologise for my behaviour yesterday.'

If someone had told Riker that a Vorta was playing poker on the hull of the _Enterprise_ with a Klingon and two Breen, he would have been less surprised. 'Apologise, sir?'

'Yes, Will. I'm afraid that I misjudged you quite badly. I assumed you would be pleased to have a command of your own, especially the _Enterprise_.'

Riker was still in a state of shock. 'I would certainly be pleased, sir, but-'

'I'm also afraid,' added Picard, perhaps assuming that Riker would embarrass himself, 'that I behaved in a melodramatic fashion. I believe that my emotions have been taking hold on me recently.'

Riker couldn't stop himself. 'Counsellor Troi mentioned it, sir.'

Picard glanced at him, a half-smile on his lips. 'I thought she might have.' He sighed and sat down. Riker followed suit. 'I apologise for myself over the last two days. I could have handled this situation far better than I have.'

'Yes, sir,' replied Riker, almost acidly. 'Does this mean you've reversed your decision?'

Picard shook his head. 'No, Number One. I've been here too long.' He tapped the arms of his chair to emphasise his point.

Riker leaned forward. 'The crew is on edge, sir. They're going to have to get used to quite a serious change.'

Picard nodded knowingly. 'I understand that, Will. However, they have had to get used to worse things than losing their captain before. You'll pull them through. I have every confidence in you.'

There was a pause for a moment, and then Riker suddenly saw the way forward. 'Sir, in order to make a full report to Starfleet, I need to know your reasons for your decisions.'

Picard looked at him. 'I've already –' For the second time that day, Picard was cut off in mid-sentence.

'I mean the truth, sir. Not the phoney reasons you've made up to protect yourself –' He broke off, barely stopping himself from adding and Lieutenant Thames.

Picard barely registered, concentrating on something else. 'I suppose that you of all people have deserved a right to hear the truth.'

He stood again, and gazed out at the passing stars. 'You remember the reports from Captain Kirk's log and Captain Sisko's own reports of a mirror universe?'

Riker nodded, somewhat mystified. Picard could obviously see his first officer's reflection, because he smiled briefly. 'In these alternate universes, we all have copies – alternates that reflect where we took different courses with our lives. Somewhere, there's a Will Riker; probably living happily married to Deanna Troi on Betazed. Somewhere, there is a normally sighted Geordi La Forge. Somewhere –' He stopped and looked at Riker. 'I think that you get the idea.'

'Yes, sir,' said Riker. 'But what does this have to do with our situation?'

'There is a copy of each one of you, Will. Of you.'

Riker grasped the point. 'Do you mean that you are an exception to the rule?'

Picard nodded. 'Q told me this on my last day in the alternate reality. I am, apparently, the one and only Jean-Luc Picard in the – oh, what did he call it?' He snapped his fingers. 'The multiverse, that's it.'

'What difference does that make, sir?'

Picard whirled, a blaze of movement that caught Riker by surprise. The anguish in his eyes was undeniable. 'Don't you see, Will? If you remember the course at the Academy on Comparative Realities, then you'll know that every decision you take is reversed in another reality. You go one way –'

'And another Will Riker goes in the opposite direction. Yes, I remember it,' answered Riker.

'In my case, that doesn't happen. Everything I do means that my specific timestream goes in one direction. I stay on one course. I determine the fate of universes every time I decide to blow my nose, for heaven's sake!' The flame in his eyes backed up the intensity in his voice. 'One man can't wield this sort of power, Will. I've got to get out of the way.'

'You believe that by retiring, you'll be allowing time to go on it's own sweet way,' said Riker, finally understanding.

'Exactly!' said Picard, pointing a finger at Riker and then turning back to the stars. Riker had never seen him this animated before. 'I can't be allowed to determine the fate of so much on my own. Look at what I'm already responsible for; Wolf 359, -'

Riker had been ready for this, and jumped in with '- and it wasn't your fault, sir. Nothing I can recall that you have done has ever turned out to be bad.'

Picard glared at him, clearly angry at having his self-loathing interrupted by an injection of truth. 'It is a moot point, Number One. Whatever happens now, I will not be diverted.'

'What about Lieutenant Thames, Captain?' said Riker and instantly regretted it. Picard became stone again and looked out of the window.

'She will be better off without me,' he said quietly, and Riker knew the conversation was over.

Thames dried her eyes again, and smiled sadly at Troi. 'I promised I wouldn't do this. I'm sorry, Counsellor.'

'If I had a strip of gold-pressed latinum for every person who's said that after they've had a crying fit in front of me, I could buy the entire Ferengi race,' replied Troi, a smile on her face.

'It's just so hard to face going back there and knowing I'm not going to see him again,' said Thames, her voice distressed. 'I always feel right when he's near.'

Deanna nodded, remembering her time with Riker. 'I know exactly what you mean.'

'It's as if there's a part of me being torn away,' continued Thames. 'But, I mean, he's the captain and what would he see in a lowly lieutenant like me?' She glanced at Troi, pain in her eyes again.

Deanna gazed straight into her eyes. 'Why don't you tell the captain how you feel?'

From Thames came an answer that revived a memory of Jean-Luc Picard's words. 'I couldn't burden him with my feelings. He has his own life to live. It would be wrong of me.'

Deanna gazed in utter shock at Thames, who had no idea of the way in which her words had echoed those of the man she loved.

Activating the charge, she stepped back a pace and admired her handiwork. Crude, she knew, but effective, the mass of roiling wires and rigged boxes was attached to one of the primary power conduits under Starfleet Academy.

She knew that, once this bomb went off, her cover would be gone. It might take a few days, but her tracks would be uncovered. Fortunately, her host had leave coming up shortly, and so, her absence from Starfleet Headquarters would not be suspicious until the bomb detonated.

However, that was unimportant. By the time they tracked her whereabouts, she would already have returned home to her own dimension, and brought her fellows back.

To gain their final revenge.


	3. The Bombing

__

Chapter III

'Ladies and gentlemen,' said Troi, 'we're in trouble.' She glanced around the poker table. 'Captain Picard and Lieutenant Thames are, I'm afraid, going to have to be our priority.'

'Why, Deanna?' asked Riker. 'Why should we play matchmaker for our captain?'

'We all want to see the best for him, don't we?' asked Troi. At the nods of agreement, she continued, 'I've spoken with both of them now, and I've come to the conclusion that they're the best thing that could possibly happen to each other.'

Geordi frowned, confused. 'I'm sorry. I don't see what you're getting at. If they're the "best thing" for each other, why do we have to interfere? Can't they sort it out themselves?'

Deanna shook her head. 'No, for one good reason. They both have an almost religious respect for each other.'

'What?' asked Data bluntly.

'They both think that trying to resolve this problem by admitting their love for one another is going to be the worst thing they could possibly do. They both want to see the other person as happy as possible, but they've both come to the conclusion that the best thing that either of them could do is for them to stay out of each other's way. They feel that to admit it would be to spoil the other's happiness.'

'Hence Jean-Luc's decision to retire,' said Beverly, shaking her head wonderingly. 'What a tangled web they've both woven.'

Deanna nodded. 'It's obvious to everyone but themselves that the best thing they could do in these circumstances is to get together. And, because they love and care for each other so much, they've decided, as though they actually discussed it, to keep out of each other's way.'

Data frowned. 'Is it the _Imzadi_ thing again, Counsellor?'

'In a way, yes,' replied Troi, 'although this sort of semi-telepathic communication is very rare even in Betazoids. The chances of it happening to a human couple are – well, nearly impossible.'

'He always had a knack for beating the odds,' sighed Beverly.

'Indeed,' said Data, his mind probably trying to work out the odds that Troi had mentioned.

Riker glanced around the table. 'Well, I'm convinced,' he said. 'I think that if we could get them together successfully, it might ease our little crisis over the chain of command somewhat. After what you said, Deanna, I'm fairly certain that the captain is retiring because he doesn't want to disrupt Thames' career any longer.'

Deanna glanced at him, sure he was keeping something back. Instead, she said, 'I agree. If we make them see that they need to be together, he might reverse his decision altogether.'

And, as one, uncaring of the material advantages they would all gain if Picard retired, they all pledged to bring Thames and Picard together.

'Sir, we've got a priority message coming from Starfleet Command,' said Hedly to Picard. 'It's Admiral Kelner.'

'On main viewer,' said Picard. He glanced up as the main screen lit up.

A moment later, a gasp of horror ran through the bridge personnel at Kelner's appearance. The Admiral was bloodied and bruised, and smoke rising in the background told an unpleasant story. Picard stood, mind whirling. 'Admiral, what's happened?'

'Someone's bombed the Academy, Jean-Luc,' said Kelner, his voice thick with anger. 'Took out the entire East wing, killed about a hundred students and several lecturers. There may be more, but we're concentrating on trying to clear the rubble at the moment.'

Bridges pressed her hand to her mouth, while Data bowed his head. Picard glanced back at Riker and Troi, whose expressions mirrored his own. He turned back. 'Any ideas who?'

'Not as yet. We're trying to trace people's movements around the time of the explosion, but it's proving difficult. A large part of the computer system's been knocked out. The attacker knew just where to hit us.'

'Is there any possibility of Dominion involvement?' asked Riker.

'We're not discounting it,' replied Kelner. 'At the moment, we're informing victim's families and putting the Fleet onto yellow alert status. If it was a Dominion attack, then we're at war, Jean-Luc.'

'Understood,' said Picard, something niggling in the back of his mind. 'Keep me posted.'

'Will do. Starfleet out.'

Picard turned to Data. 'Commander, run a full check on all ship's systems. It's possible that this might be a prelude to some form of sabotage onboard a starship if the Dominion do decide to attack. I want to be as prepared as possible.'

'Aye, sir.'

Picard turned to Hedly. 'Issue type-two phasers to all personnel. Double security.'

She nodded. 'Aye, sir.'

'Go to yellow alert and begin running battle drills, Commander.' Picard said to Riker, who nodded affirmatively. 'After you've organised that, I would like to speak with you in my ready room.'

'Understood, sir,' said Riker as Picard turned and entered his ready room.

A few minutes later, Riker found Picard looking out at the stars again. He was beginning to worry his first officer. He had never seen Picard this pensive. 'You wanted to see me, sir?'

'It's Admiral Nechayev,' said Picard without preamble. 'This isn't the Dominion at all. It's her!'

'With respect, Captain, we can't be sure –'

'She took a shuttle from the USS _Spirit_ three hours before the bomb exploded. She was last seen on heading 441 mark 352.'

'Sounds like Risa, sir,' said Riker doubtfully.

'Or, if she bypasses Risa, the Neutral Zone.'

'Why the Neutral Zone? Do you think she might have been brainwashed by the Romulans?'

'Oh, she's been brainwashed, all right, Number One. In the same way as Dexter Remmick.'

Riker looked at him in dismay. 'You can't be serious, sir!'

Picard stared at him, face terrible with anger. 'We found out that the Aralla were the adult form of the parasites that infiltrated Starfleet Command ten years ago, Will. I'm convinced that when Admiral Nechayev betrayed us at the battle for Earth, she had been taken over by the enemy. If that is so, as I've already explained once, she has a lot to answer for.'

'Sir, isn't that taking assumption a little too far?'

Picard turned and glared at him for a long moment, and then his face softened. 'You may be right,' he said. 'However, I am not prepared to take any chances. If she is going to Risa, then Starfleet will stop her there. Continue scanning along the Neutral Zone, but make sure that our course "somehow" gets us to the Neutral Zone border at the same spot that a direct course from Risa would get a shuttle travelling at maximum warp there.'

Riker smiled. 'Understood, sir.' He got up and left.

'Admiral Nechayev a traitor?' said Admiral Kelner disbelievingly. 'No, Jean-Luc, I can't believe it.'

'I believe that it is eminently possible.' Picard's tone was neutral, but under the façade, he was seething with anger.

'Why?' asked Kelner. 'She's served Starfleet faithfully all of her life. Why would she suddenly turn traitor?'

'I'm not entirely convinced she's acting under her own volition, Admiral,' said Picard. 'I believe that she may have been co-opted by an exterior force. I have reason to believe that the conspiracy that nearly took over Starfleet Command ten years ago has returned.'

Kelner was silent. He had been a starship captain at the time, and he had only been vaguely aware of the conspiracy. 'Very well, Captain,' he said finally. 'If you are correct, you may apprehend Admiral Nechayev if she approaches the Neutral Zone. However, you are not to leave your patrol station without prior authorisation from me. Understood?'

'Yes, sir,' replied Picard, knowing he had won a major battle. '_Enterprise_ out.'

The _Enterprise_ cruised along the Neutral Zone, perhaps with more urgency than before, towards a section of the border that curved outwards slightly from the normal line. It was the closest part of the Neutral Zone to any of the normal trading routes between planets and also on a direct line between Risa and Emeralle II.

Thursday afternoon, 1430 hours. Picard watched the screen silently, as he had done so for three whole hours the day before and since the day shift had begun today. Besides him, Riker, far less intent, kept a close eye on reports from Risa. So far, none had mentioned Admiral Nechayev.

A feeling of outrage and horror at the Academy bombing had replaced the shock and concern felt at Picard's announcement. Picard had been carefully nurturing this emotion so that when the time came, and they confronted Nechayev, his crew would not respond to any calls she might try to make to their loyalty, but would instead aid him in destroying the traitor.

Picard hid a vicious smile. His revenge was nearly complete.

'Troi to Picard.'

'Picard here. What can I do for you, Counsellor?'

'Have you seen the time, sir?' she asked, voice mischievous.

Picard glanced at the chronometer above the main screen. 1455 hours. 'I'll be right down, Counsellor.' He turned to Riker. 'You have the bridge, Number One.'

Deanna Troi glanced up as the doors to her quarters slid open and smiled as Picard walked in, looking slightly apprehensive. 'I'm sorry I lost track of time, Counsellor, -' he began.

'It's okay, Captain,' she cut him off gently. 'It's not exactly something you're used to, coming to see me on a professional basis.'

Picard frowned as he sat down. 'I don't think it's ever happened in all the time we've known each other.'

'No, sir,' Deanna answered. 'However, you've never been so in love that it's disrupted your thinking processes before.'

Picard replied before he could stop himself. 'No, you're right –' He broke off, looking embarrassed.

Deanna shook her head in disappointment. 'Captain, you've got to get used to this. Your feelings at the moment are blocking your ability to think clearly.'

Picard suddenly, unexpectedly, seemed to shrink into himself. 'I know,' he whispered. 'I can't get over this feeling that if I do anything, she'll suffer from it. I think it might be in all our best interests if I just kept my head down and retired like I said I would. My feelings for her are not those that a commanding officer should have about any member of his crew.'

'I don't understand,' admitted Troi, convinced she was finally getting to the heart of the problem. 'Why should your feelings about Lieutenant Thames be any different than if you were the same rank?'

'It's a betrayal of the trust a junior officer has in their superiors,' said Picard, still withdrawn.

'Bull,' murmured Troi. 'You have the same emotions as any of us –'

'But Thames is different,' murmured Picard. 'I can't allow myself to feel for her. It would be… awkward.'

'You're her commanding officer,' prompted Troi gently.

'Yes….'

'You can't be involved….'

'No….'

'You love her too deeply to ever hurt her….'

'Yes….' 

'You're afraid of what might happen….'

'Oh, yes….'

'She might not love you….'

'Yes….' This simple admission opened the floodgates.

Picard broke down.

Data glanced over at Lieutenant Thames, who was working at the science console next to him. 'Lieutenant,' he said quietly. She didn't appear to hear him, her gaze focussed on a distant point in space. 'Lieutenant?'

She glanced around and abruptly realised what had just happened. Mortified, she blushed slightly. 'Sorry, sir. I was a little bit too engrossed.'

Data regarded her for a moment. 'Would you step into the briefing room for a moment, please?' he asked politely.

Thames couldn't stop an expression of distress crossing her face. Then she became all business. 'Yes, sir,' she replied and walked into the briefing room. Data stood and glanced at Riker and Hedly, who had observed the entire exchange. Riker nodded once and returned it.

In the time it took Data to cross the bridge and enter the briefing room, he had had time to review the entire Subspace Journals 2340 – 2372 and make cross-correlation's between the time it took the Bajoran wormhole to open and close and the increase in the amount of neutrino's released during the last four years since its discovery.

However, he had not done so, and had instead preoccupied his mind with why he had been chosen to speak with Lieutenant Thames, instead of Doctor Crusher or Counsellor Troi.

He walked in to find Thames staring out at the stars, in a pose which reminded him very much of the way Captain Picard looked out of his ready room porthole. She turned when she heard him enter, and Data was surprised to see a tear on her cheek. 'Is there a problem, Lieutenant?' he inquired.

She seemed to be staring off into the distance. 'He's upset,' she said quietly, 'He's very distressed about something.' She suddenly seemed to regain her focus and stared at Data. 'I'm sorry for my conduct on the bridge, sir,' she said. 'It won't happen again.'

Data resisted an urge to smile. 'That is not why I called you here, Lieutenant,' he replied, and her face lost some of its tension. 'I wished to speak to you about your move to Ops.'

'Yes, sir.'

'I need someone who is going to be clear-headed enough to take over my duties when I become first officer. Captain Picard obviously believes that you are capable, but I need to be convinced.'

'Yes, sir,' she said again.

'So, if you are clear-headed, Lieutenant,' said Data, sensing a way through, 'why have you got a tear on your cheek?'

Thames blinked at the apparent non sequitur and then hurriedly wiped the tear away. 'Sorry, sir,' she apologised, glancing down, embarrassed.

'Is there a specific reason for your sadness?' probed Data, entering what Deanna had jokingly called his "emotionless android mode".

'Not as such, sir, no,' replied Thames, attempting evasion.

'Then why should a capable, clear-headed officer like yourself suddenly begin weeping?' asked Data.

'It is difficult to explain,' she began.

'Try me.'

'Sir, I don't know if I can,' she said. 'It's not something I think I should be discussing with a member of the senior staff.'

'Does it have anything to do with the captain?'

Thames froze, suddenly aware that the emphasis of the conversation had spun away from work. 'I couldn't say, sir.'

'If I gave you a direct order, would it help?'

Thames suddenly crumpled slightly. 'I don't know!'

She got up from her seat and rushed from the room. Data sighed in frustration. He stood and left the room.

As he walked onto the bridge, he found the crew all staring at him, Riker with a raised eyebrow. Sorrowfully, Data shook his head.

Picard had run out of tears eventually, and his words kept on flowing in their place. Deanna would have been embarrassed if she hadn't quite known what was coming. Even so, she had not guessed how deeply the feelings of love and desire had buried themselves in his psyche. It was as though Thames was a part of him now; and she had the awful feeling that when she did counselling with Thames, the same would prove to be true.

'I can't figure it out,' he said. 'One minute, I was fully in control, and the next, I've got someone else's thoughts in my head.

Deanna glanced sharply at him. 'You mean you can hear her thoughts?'

'Sometimes, I know what's she's thinking. I can always tell exactly where she is at any time, and it's just so confusing!'

Deanna nodded slowly, trying to take it all in. She had seen Betazoid _Imzadi_ who were bonded telepathically, but never before had she even heard of that sort of attachment in a human. Even hers and Riker's attachment was only that she could sometimes speak to him telepathically. But neither Thames nor Picard were telepaths.

'Captain, I've a feeling that you need to speak to Lieutenant Thames about this. You've got to resolve your situation somehow.'

'I don't know if I can speak to her,' said Picard.

'It may be the last chance you get before you retire, sir,' she said quietly. 'I will be speaking to Lieutenant Thames in a few minutes, and I will try and work something out then. Until then, I suggest you take some time off to think about what you've said. Will can handle the mission.'

Picard closed his eyes. 'As you suggest, Counsellor.'

But Picard was to have no time to reconcile his emotions. 'Bridge to captain,' said Riker's voice suddenly.

Picard breathed deeply and tapped his commbadge. 'Picard here.'

'Sir, we've picked up a small type-three shuttle heading towards the Neutral Zone.'

Picard glanced at Deanna. 'Adjust course to intercept. I'll be right there.' He turned to face Troi. 'I'm sorry, Counsellor, but this will have to wait until we sort this problem out.'

Troi nodded, but as Picard stood and left, her sense of him changed abruptly. She could sense something much darker emerging from his tortured indecision of moments before. She shivered.

Picard emerged from the aft turbolift and immediately said, 'Report.'

'It's the shuttlecraft _Keats_, sir. Attached to the USS _Spirit_,' answered Riker.

'Course and speed?'

'Heading 441 mark 367, sir. Warp five,' said Data.

'Maximum warp for a type-three shuttle,' mused Picard. 'And on a direct course for Emeralle II. Time till intercept?'

He glanced at helm and got a quick reply from Ensign Truper. 'Five minutes, ten seconds, sir.'

'Commander Hedly, ready phasers. I want you to knock out her shields.'

'Aye, sir,' replied Hedly.

'Security team to the transporter room. Prepare for boarding action,' called Picard.

Riker glanced at him. 'What's the plan, sir?'

'We're going to bring her out of warp by disabling her drive and then beam aboard and capture her,' Picard said briefly.

'And if she gives us any trouble?'

The dark look that appeared on Picard's face forced Riker to turn his attention to the screen.

'Coming into range, sir,' warned Ensign Truper.

'On main viewer.' The screen shimmered, and displayed the starfield before them. A small dot shot across the screen, curving away as its sensors detected the huge shape of the _Enterprise_. 'Pursuit course. Ready phasers.'

'Phasers ready.' Picard was so intent on the screen, he did not seem to hear Hedly's reply.

'Fire!'

The beams of energy shot out towards the tiny shuttle, but somehow, as if its pilot were precognitive, it veered away sharply, and the phaser blasts missed.

'Missed, sir!' said Hedly in frustration.

'Fire again!' ordered Picard.

This time, twin beams of energy were fired in a bracketing salvo. The shuttlecraft dodged again, but this time, the beams grazed the shields and sent it tumbling wildly.

'Her shields are down to thirty percent, sir,' called Hedly. Thames emerged onto the bridge at this moment, and Picard could not help but glance to check if she was all right. She gave him a brief smile which warmed him for a moment.

'Sir, I've got a course projection,' said Data. 'I think she's heading for Galorndon Core.'

Picard glanced at Riker, surprise on his face. 'Why could she be heading for Galorndon Core?'

Riker shook his head. 'Maybe she's after something that the Romulans left there?'

'Fire –' Picard was cut off by a shudder which ran through the _Enterprise_.

'Direct hit from a photon torpedo, sir,' said Hedly, her voice surprised. 'She must have fired it cold – our sensors never registered it. Shields down to ninety-five percent.'

'Sir, I've lost her,' said Data unbelievingly. 'She vanished when the torpedo impact blinded our sensors for a moment.'

'What?' said Picard, surprised by his officer's lack of care.

'Sir, when the torpedo hit our forward screens, our sensors were blinded for a second or two. A good pilot could have got the shuttle out of sensor range and maybe lost it against any stellar emissions.'

Thames spoke up from one of the bridge science consoles. 'Captain, I've got an idea. If we reset the sensors to scan for warp field coil emissions, they should show up against normal background stellar emissions.'

Picard glanced at Data, who nodded. 'I am surprised I didn't think of that, sir.' He turned and implemented the change. 'Reading a warp signature at bearing 457 mark 447. Direct course for Galorndon Core.'

'Pursuit course, warp six. Engage.' Picard turned to Thames. 'Well done, Lieutenant.' She smiled dazzlingly.

Riker glanced at Hedly, who smiled a small smile.

Galorndon Core was a bleak, rocky planet in the middle of nowhere. The _Enterprise_ crew had twice faced down Romulan opposition near this planet in the past.

The _Keats_ broke out of warp and made straight for the planet. A second later, the mammoth shape of the _Enterprise_ pursued it into the system.

Data had relinquished his console to Thames on Picard's request. Troi, who had come to the bridge just in time to hear that, knew it was so he could keep an eye on her. 'She's heading straight for Galorndon Core, sir,' said Thames.

'Ready quantum torpedoes.' Troi glanced at Riker, who nodded once. Picard had clearly given up his stated objective of taking her alive. A single direct torpedo hit would vaporise the shuttle.

'Sir, she's initiating a warp core breach,' said Thames suddenly, voice full of disbelief.

'Time to detonation?'

'Five seconds, sir.'

Picard stood and stared at the screen. Abruptly, a flash of light in the grey atmosphere of the planet marked where the shuttle had been destroyed. 'Lieutenant, scan the surface for lifeforms. She may have been able to beam out.'

'Scanning, sir.'

Picard turned to Riker. 'Prepare an away team, Number One.' At Riker's nod, however, Thames whirled in her seat and she and Picard simultaneously said, 'There's an ionising field in the upper stratosphere!'

For a moment, thought Deanna afterwards, the bridge had looked like a frozen tableau. Picard and Thames staring at each other in shock; Riker watching his captain, open-mouthed. The rest of the bridge crew had stood stock-still in amazement. Abruptly the moment was broken, as Picard regrouped and said to Thames, 'Explain.'

Thames complied, her face going red. 'Sir, when the warp core breach occurred, the _Keats_ was in the atmosphere of Galorndon Core. The explosion and radiation burst caused an ionisation field. It's impossible to beam through.'

Picard couldn't help it. He glanced at Data, who nodded and said, 'Confirmed, sir. It won't clear for another five hours.'

Picard glared at the screen. 'Meanwhile, she does whatever she's there to do. Shuttles?' This question was directed back at Thames, who had already turned.

As the word "shuttles" finished, immediately on the end of it came Thames' answer. 'A shuttlecraft would make it through the atmosphere with shields up, sir.' She turned and looked at him. Picard's lips quirked in an involuntary smile. Thames grinned back briefly.

And Deanna sat watching this interplay with a pleased smile on her face.

'Sir, I'm detecting a human lifesign upon the surface of Galorndon Core,' said Data. Picard immediately made his mind up.

'Commander,' he said, 'assemble three shuttles of security personnel to be ready for launch in one hour. Flight crews to consist of yourself, Commander Hedly and Commander La Forge in number one, Mr. Data and Dr. Crusher in number two and myself, Lieutenant Thames and Counsellor Troi in number three.' Riker, to his credit, didn't react to Picard's decision to go on the mission. He simply nodded and carried out his duty.

Picard turned calmly to Troi and said, 'Counsellor, will you join me in my ready room?'

As he headed to his room, Troi stood gracefully and directed a glance at Thames. 'Yes, I thought you'd say that,' she murmured to herself.

Picard turned as Deanna entered his ready room, a terrified expression on his face. 'What the hell's happening to me?' His voice was a strangled whisper, otherwise it would have been a shout that would have resounded across the entire Alpha Quadrant, vacuum be damned.

Troi shook her head. 'You're developing an attachment that's deeper than anything I've ever seen, Captain. Can you hear her thoughts all the time?'

'Just when she's upset or surprised or feeling a strong emotion.' Picard considered this sentence for a moment and then added, 'Apart from obsessive love.'

Troi nearly smiled. 'Why am I with you and Lieutenant Thames, Captain?'

'I need you there if anything goes wrong,' said Picard bluntly. 'If either myself or Thames are hurt, I don't know if the other will be able to continue.'

'Why not leave her aboard the _Enterprise_?' Or better still, both of you stay on the ship?

'It hurts,' said Picard in a moment of disarming honesty. Seeing the worried look on her face, he shook his head and added, 'I mean emotionally. I keep losing focus if I'm not near her. I think we work best if we're together. And I need to be down there, Counsellor. Admiral Nechayev has a lot to answer for. Especially to me.'

Troi stared at him for a moment, suddenly recognising the emotions she could sense. Bitter betrayal and anger were strong, but beneath them was something that she could not ever remember sensing in Picard – cold, calculating, almost evil hatred.

It was not something she associated with him normally. But now, she read it in every movement of his body. It glinted in his eye every time he spoke of Nechayev now.

Troi had not realised how much the alternate reality had affected his thinking. Now she realised that Picard was a different person from the one she had known before. Where the other Picard had been fair but firm, the new one was hard and inflexible.

His character had changed considerably in the last few days. It was possible that the others had not noticed. Certainly Picard himself would not have done so.

Troi did not know later how she managed to keep the shocked look from her face as she realised all of this. She only knew that she was dealing with a different man to the one she had known before. The new Picard was obsessive and cruel in ways that the old one had never demonstrated.

And, she also knew, if she could not retrieve the old one from somewhere, she would have to support his retirement on the grounds that he was no longer fit to command.

I hate my job.

Twenty minutes before the mission began, Troi called the senior staff together for a last minute conference – regarding the Thames/Picard situation, as it was becoming known. 'It's getting serious,' she said frankly.

Riker nodded in agreement. 'We all saw what happened on the bridge.'

'Is it just love or is something worse?' asked Data. Deanna glanced at Data askance. Only the android could construe love as being bad.

'I checked Lieutenant Thames' record, and I found that she has a very high ESP rating,' said Troi. She decided to not mention Picard's change of personality.

Hedly frowned. 'Is that what could be causing this?'

'I believe so, yes,' answered Deanna. 'I'm not saying that she's taking over his mind or vice versa, but that a strong bond has been formed because of their emotional attachment to each other. It's the true meaning of _Imzadi_,' she added ruefully.

'What can we do?' asked La Forge.

'Try harder to get them together. If the captain retires without her, they could both be in for serious emotional stress.'

'Any likelihood that it could affect his command and decision-making abilities?' asked Riker.

Deanna shrugged. 'I don't know yet, Will. It's possible, but at the moment, I'm worried about their emotional health than anything.'

Riker nodded and they broke up. There wasn't really anything else that they could say.

Yes, they were coming, she thought. She could sense their primitive thoughts from miles distant. They were angry, but distracted as well. There was a weakness there, she thought.

She settled herself more comfortably among the featureless rocks, cradling the rifle she carried. She had chosen a host well, she realised. Some bodies would have given out by now, but this one kept going. Maybe it had always been driven hard by its former personality.

She could feel the pull of the rift, somewhere in space. She would find it; return and conquer. It was her way. The way of the Aralla.

And then, abruptly, she began to retch.


	4. The Hunt Begins

__

Chapter IV

The shuttlecraft _Feynman_, followed by the _Hawking_ and the _Justman_, dropped from the hangar bay of the _Enterprise_ and angled themselves towards the planet. Aboard the _Hawking_, Thames breathed deeply once, to quell a thrill of anxiety. Suddenly, she felt as though a reassuring hand had been laid upon her shoulder, and she turned to find that there was nothing there.

Knowing where the feeling had come from, she smiled slightly and turned back to the controls.

The three shuttlecraft entered the atmosphere of the dark grey planet below them. Unusually for Galorndon Core, flying conditions were good, and visibility was nearly average. They flew in tandem for a short while, and then they split, the _Feynman_ heading south, the _Justman_ heading north and the _Hawking_ moving into a central position between the two.

They made a circle about thirty kilometres in diameter, centring on the last position that they had detected Nechayev's lifesigns.

As the _Feynman_ landed, a pair of eyes watched its descent with malicious pleasure.

Ten security guards leapt from the shuttle, their rifles ready and senses alert. They scattered, finding cover wherever they could, which was no real problem. Behind them came Riker and Hedly, followed by La Forge, who knew the landscape better than any of them. Hedly carried a rifle, but Riker had holstered his phaser and Geordi had his tricorder out. 'Any readings?' he asked.

Geordi frowned. 'I'm not sure. There's something about thirty metres south of here, but I'm not sure if it's a lifesign. There are specific parameters, and this fits some but not others.'

Riker glanced up at the rocks before them. 'Is it the only thing you can detect?'

'Yes, sir,' replied Geordi.

'Move out!' shouted Riker.

'Riker to Picard.' Picard hit his commbadge and motioned to his team to carry on through the rocky gorge.

'Picard here.'

'Sir, we've detected an anomalous reading.'

'Anomalous, Number One?' repeated Picard. 'How so?'

Geordi's voice came over the commbadge. 'Sir, I scanned for human lifesigns. These readings seem to indicate a human pattern but –'

'There seems to be another reading mixed in there as well, is that it?' said Picard, grim triumph in his voice.

'Exactly, sir. I've never seen these readings before.'

'I have,' said Picard firmly. 'It's Admiral Nechayev all right. Set your weapons to stun. Be prepared for anything, Number One.'

'Understood. Riker out.'

Picard paused and glanced up at his team. Eight security guards, Troi and Thames advanced quickly and quietly through the gorge. Up on the cliffs, one either side, a pair of guards covered their approach.

He smiled, knowing Nechayev couldn't escape from the web.

Riker slipped through the sparse undergrowth covering the ground, and got behind the cover of a rock. Signalling quickly to his team to follow up, he kept his phaser ready and aimed up at the low wall of rock before him – an excellent perch for a sniper.

Geordi hit the dirt beside him, rifle aimed up at the same area. 'Any change in those readings?' asked Riker.

'No. She's up there somewhere,' the engineer replied.

'How do you propose to get up there?' asked Hedly from two metres behind.

Geordi frowned in concentration. 'If I remember correctly, there's a path up there that leads around the back. She'll have it covered though, if she's got any sense.'

'She can't cover two directions at once,' said Riker. 'Geordi, take three men and make your way around there. Signal me as soon as you get into position to attack.'

Geordi nodded and signalled to three guards. They quickly set off.

Crusher and Data picked their way through the rocks littering the open plain, followed by their security detail. Data had assured her that there was no trace of Admiral Nechayev anywhere, but Beverly was still cautious and her tricorder was set to give an alarm once lifesigns were detected.

'Doctor,' said Data, his tone betraying his curiosity, 'I must confess that I do not understand Counsellor Troi's concern over the captain and Lieutenant Thames.'

Beverly smiled slightly. 'Deanna's just concerned to see that the captain's happy, I think.'

'Oh.' Data was silent for a moment. 'Would it not be more logical to allow things to resolve themselves naturally?'

'I don't know, Data,' replied Beverly, glancing at the android. 'I think that affairs of the heart are a lot more complicated than that.'

Data nodded, his face puzzled. 'I suppose so. However, given what the Counsellor said about their connection, could it not be supposed that they will be able to resolve their crisis by themselves. After all, they are both responsible adults.'

Beverly looked at Data again, an open smile on her face. 'Data, believe me, love does not make you behave like a responsible adult.'

Data accepted this information with his old expression of not-quite-comprehension. They continued on their way.

'We're in position, Commander,' said Geordi's voice quietly.

'Understood. Wait for my signal, and then charge in, firing.'

'Will do.'

Riker glanced at his men. 'Everybody, this is not going to be easy. We're going to be open to attack for at least ten seconds here. Our objective is to distract Admiral Nechayev long enough for Geordi to get around the back of her position and stun her. We've got to make it look as if we're going to scale that wall. Everybody understand?'

They all nodded, Hedly with an intensity in her eyes that reminded Riker of Worf's occasional tendency to go into a blood lust.

Riker nodded back and tapped his badge again. 'Geordi, in about ten seconds you're going to hear a lot of yelling. Wait for five seconds and then attack.'

'Got it. La Forge out.'

Riker glanced back. 'Ready?' They all gave him quick nods. 'Let's go!'

They all jumped up from their positions and rushed for the low wall, shouting incoherently. Riker could almost feel the heat from the phaser blast as it hit him in the chest and threw him to the –

He opened his eyes, thinking for a crazy moment, Why am I not dead?

He glanced around at the others. They were all standing around him, puzzled as to why they had not been shot at. A moment later, his badge bleeped. 'Sir,' said La Forge urgently, 'you'd better get up here.'

Riker shot a look at Hedly and then rushed around to the path Geordi mentioned.

He came around the corner to find Geordi staring at him in dismay, slightly pale. 'What's the matter, Geordi?'

La Forge didn't speak, but instead led Riker around the rock face. Riker paled at what he saw.

A red mass of flesh and gore lay splattered against the wall before them. Over it was a green goo that had solidified and covered the mess. Riker barely kept from throwing up, and turned quickly away. 'Geordi,' he whispered, 'what the hell is that?'

Geordi shook his head. 'Doctor Crusher could confirm it, but I think that that is Admiral Nechayev's digestive system.'

That was it. Riker hurried away.

A few minutes later, looking decidedly the worse for wear, Riker signalled to La Forge. 'We're moving out again.' He glanced at Hedly and La Forge as the security guards passed by, some looking off-colour.

'Where the hell is she?'

A phaser blast slammed into the wall beside Picard, throwing out shards of rock. A return volley from the security guards shattered an outcropping of rock in return. 'Cease fire!' yelled Picard.

Abruptly, the entire valley went silent and Picard watched as the guards all kept an eye out for the attacker.

Picard had become separated from his team instantly the attack had begun. Almost certainly, Nechayev understood that he was leading the hunt, and that she needed to eliminate him.

He had fought his way back so that he was within earshot of the guards, but their short-range communications had been scrambled by the intense phaser fire. He knew that they had to get out of the narrow valley they had become trapped in.

Picard heard something; Thames had thought of trying to outflank her. She was out of hearing, but –

He concentrated on thinking about what to do. He saw, in the distance, her head whip around. Picard smiled and she smiled back. Well, this connection's good for something at least.

Now, had that been his thought or hers?

Thames glanced at Troi. 'The captain's got a plan.'

'How do – ? Oh, sorry.'

Thames glanced up at the overhang that gave some cover for them. 'The captain thinks that Nechayev might be using that overhang as a trap of some sort. He believes she may have rigged it to come down if we hit it with phaser fire.'

'Could be a problem,' agreed Troi. 'What do we do?'

'Jean-Luc thinks that if we get somebody under it, then we might be able to clear it away.'

'How do you mean?'

Thames shook her head, frustration on her face. 'He's damn closemouthed sometimes. I can't tell.'

A salvo of fire ripped down from the cliff suddenly, exploding all around them.

Picard watched Deanna and Thames vanish behind a cloud of phaser energy, mouth dry. His eyes widened in horror and agitation as he waited for the debris to clear. There was nothing there when the smoke cleared, and a stab of incredible pain coursed through him as he gasped. A moment later, Deanna raised her head from behind the rocks, and, beside her, Thames struggled up as well. She looked across at Picard. I'm fine.

Another burst of phaser fire slammed down, and Picard felt a burning rage flare in his mind. Thames glanced back at him, obviously recognising the emotion, but Picard ignored her. Jumping to his feet, he charged for the overhang.

A staccato burst of phaser fire hammered around him, as Nechayev opened fire on him. In return, the security team covered him with a furious return volley. Picard rushed forward, knowing that Nechayev's phaser blasts were creeping up behind him.

Suddenly, the firefight stopped, and Picard realised that he was under the overhang. Across the way, he could see Thames and Deanna staring at him, open-mouthed in surprise. He tapped his commbadge. 'Picard to Riker.'

A channel covered with static opened. However, Picard noted, Riker's voice sounded very unsteady. 'Riker here. Sir, we've lost her.'

'We've found her, Will. She's got us pinned down in a valley about two kilometres south of your position.'

'We're pinned down as well, sir. We've been caught by a huge electrical storm. We won't be able to set off until it's passed.' Riker paused. 'It's heading your way.'

Picard glanced up, and indeed, the sky was beginning to darken. 'Looks like we'll have to sort it out ourselves, Number One. Get here as soon as you can.'

'Understood. Riker out.'

He suddenly glanced up as he felt a feeling from Thames. She's gone. He hit his commbadge, its short-range frequency no longer scrambled by the phaserfire. 'Picard to Thames. Clarify.'

'Nechayev's gone, sir. I saw her leaving all of a sudden.'

'She must know about this electrical storm. We'd better get into cover as well.'

Picard and Thames stepped out from under the overhang. Troi moved towards the security team. And, without warning, the overhang collapsed.

Deanna watched in horror as the resultant landslide crashed down to the valley floor. Turning to the security team, she shouted, 'Take cover!'

As they all scrambled for safety, the valley collapsed behind them.

Troi waited until the dust had settled before tapping her commbadge. Her voice was urgent. 'Troi to Picard. Please respond. Troi to Thames, respond please. Troi to Picard –'

'We're all right, Counsellor,' said Picard's voice abruptly. Troi heaved a sigh of relief. 'We've been caught on the other side of the rockfall. There's no way through.'

'Can you make it out of the valley on your side?'

'Not before that storm hits,' said Picard, a note of annoyance creeping into his voice. 'We'll have to find cover for the duration.'

'If it's bad, sir, we might lose Nechayev altogether.'

'Our priority now is to stay alive, Counsellor. She can wait.'

'Understood. See you in the morning, sir.'

Picard nearly laughed. 'Thank you, Counsellor. Picard out.'

Troi turned to the security team. 'We'd better find ourselves somewhere to hide.'

As the detail turned and began picking their way back through the valley, Troi's mind flew back to her conversation at the poker table. _Sooner or later, coincidence is going to throw them together._

She smiled at the debris behind her. She had been right.

Picard led the way to a small hollow in the rock face that he had seen earlier. Thames picked her way across the valley behind him. Picard activated the small targeting light on his rifle and peered into the hollow. 'Looks like we're in luck,' he said thoughtfully. 'It seems to widen out. We ought to be able to spend the night here quite comfortably.'

'Yes, sir,' replied Thames. She stepped into the cavern, and nodded. 'Looks nice and cosy.'

At that moment, a crash of thunder resounded across the dark sky and the heavens suddenly opened. Picard looked at Thames. 'Looks like we're here for the duration.'

'Yes, sir.' Together at last. Once again, Picard couldn't be quite sure if that was his or her thought.

There was an uncomfortable pause. Neither seemed willing or able to break the wall of silence that surrounded them.

Picard activated the safety on his rifle and sat down on a rock, attempting to get comfortable. The light of the phaser provided a small beacon in the all-enclosing darkness that surrounded them in the cave.

Thames glanced at Picard, mind racing for something to say. He made as if to say something, and then stopped, as if thinking better of it. Thames' head drooped. 'Captain,' she began, and the paused. 'Sorry.'

'No, Lieutenant, what is it?' said Picard, as if anxious to keep talking.

'No, it's not important,' she said.

Anything you say is important, came the thought from Picard. Thames smiled a sad smile, and, before she could stop it, came the question, What about what I think?

She blushed abruptly as Picard glanced at her. 'Lieutenant,' he said slowly, 'I think it would be important for us to get our thoughts in order.'

'That might not be a bad idea,' replied Thames, aiming for coolness and poise– and missing by several metres.

Picard almost smiled. 'Lieutenant, we have been skirting around this for a long while now.'

'Yes, sir,' she said quietly.

'Jean-Luc, please. I know that you're much more used to calling me that.'

'Yes, Jean-Luc,' she admitted, her voice shaky. She looked down, and felt Picard move closer to her. Her heartbeat increased.

'How long have you known?' he asked quietly.

'Known? Only the last two days. Suspected? Ever since the Academy.' She glanced at him, and was gratified to see that he was slightly embarrassed by the admission.

'What if I were to tell you -?' He broke off.

'What, sir?' she looked into his eyes and saw the raging fires of his love burn incandescent for a moment. Her heartbeat increased.

He gazed into her dark eyes for a long moment. 'Tell you that we have been married?'

She blinked once. 'The alternate universe?'

He nodded. 'Yes.'

'I would say that I was... intrigued.'

He saw the happiness in her eyes flare to full bloom. 'And to tell you...' he faltered.

Yes? she prompted, silently.

'That I love you.'

Thames stared long and deep into Picard's eyes, feeling her heartbeat race at the final confession. 'I would say, Jean-Luc Picard, that I love you too.'

'I hoped, beyond hope,' he said, so quietly that she could barely hear him, 'that you would say that.'

'Don't say any more,' she said, and pressed her finger gently against his lips as if to emphasise the point.

And then she replaced the finger with her lips.

As the thunder began to die away, Riker peered out of the cavern that he, Hedly and La Forge had secreted themselves. He glanced at them. 'Looks like the storm's clearing.'

'Finally,' Hedly replied.

'Any plans, Commander?' said La Forge.

'I think we'd better rendezvous with the captain and Deanna. I wonder what they're up to?'

Deanna watched her bedraggled team troop into the cavern wearily. 'All right, everyone, rest. We've earned it.'

She stared out at the pounding rain mournfully, aware only of two feelings in her range. A long way away was a faint trace of hatred, one that she had begun to associate with Admiral Nechayev. Another was beginning to get annoying.

For about an hour now, she had been registering increased levels of positive emotions, mixed pleasure and love. She had been trying to block it out for a while, attempting to allow them some privacy, but the feelings had been getting stronger. 'Whatever the hell you're up to,' she growled, 'do it quietly!'

Data stared up at the approaching storm and glanced back at Crusher. Their team had found no trace of Nechayev within their assigned search area and, owing to the proximity of the storm, they had retreated to the _Feynman_. 'Looks like it could last quite a long time, Doctor,' he observed. 'I suggest that we rest here for the night and resume our search at area delta-four in the morning.'

'Agreed,' replied Crusher. 'How do you think the search is going in the other areas?'

'One way of finding out,' said Data. He tapped his badge. 'Data to Picard.'

All that replied was wild static. He frowned and glanced at Beverly. 'Data to Riker.' Again, wild static. 'Data to –'

'Hell!' shouted one of the guards suddenly. Data whirled and saw them scrambling from the door and, a moment later, a phaser blast caught one of them in the back, sending her to the floor with smoke curling from the cauterised wound.

Her fall revealed what they were fleeing from. Admiral Nechayev.

Blond hair wild.

Uniform torn.

Blood dripping from her viciously smiling mouth.

It was the morning after the night before, and Picard's thoughts were calm for the first time in days. He glanced down at Thames' sleeping face, remembering this welcome sight from his time in an alternate reality. He fervently hoped that this wasn't some possibility that fate (or Q) was going to snatch from him.

He glanced at the lightening dawn sky. 'Looks like we're clear,' he said quietly to himself. Looking back at Thames, he decided another few minutes wasn't going to be out of the question.

'Riker to Picard.'

Cursing under his breath, Picard grabbed for his commbadge and replied, 'Picard here.'

'Sir, we've just entered the valley that you last reported as your position. We've met up with Deanna and her team. Do you and Lieutenant Thames require any… assistance?'

Picard smiled, knowing that Deanna must have sensed the emotions of the night before and told Will. 'No, Number One. We'll meet you at the _Hawking_.'

'Understood. Good night, Captain?' Riker asked, mischievously.

'Picard out.'

Riker smiled as the channel closed and glanced back at Deanna, who failed to hide a smirk of triumph. 'Well done, Counsellor,' Riker said, giving a slight mock bow from the shoulders.

'I had nothing to do with it, Will,' said Deanna, still smiling. 'I said coincidence would throw them together.'

La Forge was stood at the entrance to the small cave and he suddenly gasped. 'Commander!'

Riker turned and went to his side. 'What's up, Geordi?' La Forge pointed into the sky.

Above them, one of the three shuttles soared high into the clouds. 'What the hell?' said Riker. 'Can you make out which one it is?'

Geordi strained his optical implants. 'It's the... _Feynman_, sir,' he said finally.

'Data's shuttle,' said Deanna behind him.

Riker hit his commbadge. 'Riker to _Feynman_. Data, what the hell are you doing?'

There was no response from the other end of the channel and Riker glanced at Deanna, strain and worry showing on his face. 'Riker to Crusher.'

When there was no response, Riker glanced back up at the shuttle. 'Can you get any sense from it, Deanna?'

'No, sir,' she said, her face concerned. 'They might be too far away, but I doubt it.' Suddenly, the shuttle banked and turned, and Riker realised that it was coming right for them.

'Take cover!' he yelled, as the whine of the shuttle's engines became audible. Barely had he given the order than a pair of bright yellow phaser blasts lanced from the shuttle, striking the ground nearby. Another salvo followed, and another.

Return fire streaked from the phaser rifles on the ground, and struck the underside of the _Feynman_ as it shot by overhead, scarring its hull with dark burns. Riker followed it with a burst from his weapon, and another volley rang out from the guards around him.

The _Feynman_ twisted around, and came bearing down on them again. This time, a guard was struck, and he fell to the ground, not even a scream escaping from his lips. Another flash of weapons fire ripped into the shuttle, which flew by again. In the pause, Deanna rushed to the downed guard's side. Glancing at Will, she shook her head.

As the _Feynman_ prepared to come around, two new blasts of weapons fire erupted from behind a nearby hill. Striking the shuttle, they threw its attack off, and it seemed to recoil from the firepower. Veering off, it rose again, and shot into the clouds.

'Picard to Riker.' Riker smiled a relieved smile.

'Riker here. Was that you, sir?' he asked.

'Yes, Number One. I can't get in contact with the _Enterprise_,' Picard answered, avoiding any preamble. 'Can you?'

Riker glanced at Deanna, who had just tapped her commbadge and said, 'Troi to _Enterprise_.' She looked at him, worried. 'No response.'

'No, sir,' said Riker, his own voice concerned.

'We're approaching your position from the east. Wait there until we arrive. Picard out.'

The _Feynman_ headed up towards the looming shape of the _Enterprise_, its sole occupant raving with bloodlust only partially sated by the cold-blooded murder of the security detail that had accompanied Data and Crusher. Onboard the _Enterprise_ was the opportunity that the parasite had waited for. A chance to get to Emeralle II. To open the dimensional rift again.

To allow the Aralla to re-enter through it and destroy the vermin that inhabited this galaxy.

It was Admiral Nechayev's body that sat in the chair at the controls of the shuttle, but it was the mind of a cruel and unfeeling alien being that controlled its movements.

A particularly cruel and psychotic member of the Aralla race, it had come through the rift with its fellows in their first attack upon another universe. However, somehow it had emerged alone in this universe, on a planet known as Earth. Knowing only its urge to conquer and destroy, it occupied the mind of one whose own dynamic force matched its own in intensity. The capture and possession had been simple.

Now, as it spread through the host's body, growing to full maturity, it expelled the previous occupant's primitive biology, to make room for it's own. It's growth would match that of Admiral Nechayev's, making it able to fit inside the skin of the cadaver.

It had been an unpleasant death, and the reanimation of the corpse had proven difficult even after the previous personality had been eradicated. However, the Aralla had succeeded, a tribute, in it's own mind, to the adaptiveness and strength of the Aralla race.

Now, it had a chance. The chance it had awaited all of its short life.


	5. Contact Lost

__

Chapter V

Riker had tried over and over again to get in touch with the _Enterprise_ since the discovery that they could not communicate with their ship. He glanced at Picard, who had, with Lieutenant Thames, met them a short distance from the _Hawking_'s landing site. 'Sir, I think it's safe to assume –'

'Never assume anything, Number One,' said Picard pointedly, and shifted his rifle to a more comfortable position. 'Yes, I know,' he added, and Riker, guessing, glanced back at Thames. He saw her disguising a smile quickly and suppressed an annoyed sigh.

'Sir, did the Aralla parasites that you encountered try anything like this?'

'Like what?' asked Deanna.

'Take over a starship, I mean,' said Riker.

'We don't know that it's taken over the _Enterprise_,' said Deanna.

'Don't we?' retorted Riker, his annoyance having elevated another notch. Picard glanced at Thames, unnoticed by either of the others. 'We've lost contact with Data, Beverly and the _Enterprise_. The _Feynman_ attacked us. For all we know, she's taken out the other shuttles.'

'And how did she incapacitate the crew of the _Enterprise_?' asked Deanna, mildly. Before he could answer her, she said, still in the same gentle tone, 'Will, it's not a good idea to consider the worst case scenario all the time.'

'Sir, we've found the shuttle!' This call from Hedly, who was at point atop a small hill, made Picard smile. 'She's in one piece as well!'

'I thought that was what you meant,' replied Picard, as he leapt up the hill to join her. Troi glanced at Riker, and nodded. Obviously, his shared time with Thames had done him physical as well as mental good. The morose captain of three days ago would not have done that.

Before them, in the rocky plain upon which they had landed the shuttle, lay the sleek shape of the shuttlecraft _Hawking_. Picard motioned to a group of guards. 'Go and investigate the shuttle, Commander,' he ordered Hedly. She nodded and, accompanied by the detachment, she hurried to the craft. Picard gestured to the others and called them into a small conference.

'We're going to have to decide what to do,' he began. 'If the _Enterprise_ has been captured, we're going to have to get it back. That's not going to be easy. That creature-' It was easier to refer to Nechayev as a parasite now - 'has already displayed a good grasp of our technological systems. If it has somehow infiltrated the _Enterprise_ crew, we may have to kill them all to get it back. Whatever happens, we're going to have to perform what amounts to a boarding action on our own ship. And we may have to prepare ourselves for some fairly heavy casualties. I want to make sure that everyone understands what we could be in for.'

There was a quiet chorus of assent from all those with him. Picard nodded, his face solemn. 'Myself, Commander Riker, Commander Hedly and ten security guards will head to the _Enterprise_ on the _Hawking_. The rest of you we will drop off at the _Justman_, and you will follow us as soon as possible. Weapons on kill, but don't shoot on sight. Try and find out what's happened first before starting a firefight.'

'Sir,' said Riker, 'she may have flooded the ship with anesthezine gas, or something similar.'

'Good point, Number One. If that is the case, don't try and revive anyone until we eliminate the parasite. I think it would be best for all concerned if they kept out of the way. One further thing; if you see Admiral Nechayev, shoot for the head. It may be bloody –' He glanced at Riker, remembering the unpleasant way that Dexter Remmick had died. '- but it's the quickest way. Believe me, Admiral Nechayev is already dead.'

Everybody had heard about what Riker and his team had found. The first officer's stomach still cringed at the memory. He had seen worse things in his time, but it was the constant thought of what could make a creature do that to itself that plagued his mind. None of them doubted any longer that Nechayev had been totally possessed by the Aralla.

Picard glanced at them all, as if to make sure that they understood, and then turned to look towards the _Hawking_, and to Hedly, who signalled from the aft entrance. 'The shuttle appears to be undamaged and unsabotaged, sir,' she called.

Picard nodded and turned to face his subordinates. 'Let's go.'

The _Hawking_ shot up towards the _Enterprise_. Onboard were Riker, who was piloting the shuttle, Hedly, Picard and ten security guards. Behind them was the _Justman_, piloted by Thames and also containing Troi, La Forge and the other security guards. Having discovered that the _Enterprise_ had raised her shields, they had been reconciled to boarding her the old-fashioned way.

Picard sat at the front of the shuttle, watching as the graceful shape of the _Enterprise_ hove into view over the planet's horizon. Even at a critical moment like this, Picard was still transfixed by the beauty of his latest command; her swept-back warp nacelles, sleek exterior and the impression of suppressed power and urgency.

As they came up aft of the immense ship, they prepared to penetrate the shields. 'Ready phasers,' ordered Picard.

La Forge's plan had been to fire surgical strikes at the overlap of the shields. One of those was very close to the shuttlebay entrance. If they overloaded this weak point with sufficient phaser fire, the shields would collapse in that area for a period of, perhaps, three seconds, before the computer automatically compensated, plenty of time for a skilled pilot to get them through. From there, it would be an easy process to beam onboard and open the shuttlebay to allow the shuttle to dock. However, if the _Enterprise_ had been infested, they would be flying straight into a barrage of phaser fire.

The _Hawking_ closed to phaser range, and matched the speed of the _Enterprise_. Still, the giant ship remained silent. A salvo of phaser fire struck the shields and another followed. There was still no response from the sleeping leviathan.

Aboard the _Hawking_, Picard was tense, suddenly realising how deadly his ship could be, especially in this exposed position. 'Their shields are at seventy-two percent. No auxiliary power diverted as yet,' said Hedly.

To aft, the _Justman_ also settled into position and opened fire. Phaser energy washed across the shields, lighting up the dark hull of the _Enterprise_. Riker shook his head, surprised at his own readings. 'Sir, there's no power reading at all from the bridge. The warp core appears to be on stand-by. It's as if someone –'

'Wants us to get aboard,' finished Picard, his voice grim. He inhaled deeply. 'Nevertheless, it's our best chance to attack. Keep firing.'

'Shields at fifty-four percent and falling.'

Nechayev watched the shuttles on the main viewscreen on the bridge, slouched in the command chair. She was smiling, a smile which made a tiger look gentle. Around her sprawled the figures of the bridge crew, all unconscious due to the anesthezine gas that she had vented throughout the ship with the aid of Data and Crusher. Data was sat against a wall, deactivated, and Crusher was in sickbay, probably having been knocked out while she was repairing the broken arm that Nechayev had inflicted upon her.

The parasite was not affected by the gas. It had rid itself of Nechayev's primitive lungs hours before, somewhere in Picard's ready room. It now did not need air to breathe, as it secreted a liquid into Nechayev's body which allowed it to survive. It was only days away from full maturation.

It watched as the shield strength dropped rapidly under the sustained barrage, knowing that it needed Picard onboard to complete its vengeance. He had destroyed the Aralla, and he would suffer their wrath.

'Shields are about to fail!' warned Riker. 'Hold on, everybody!'

As the shields failed in a last flicker of life, the shuttle punched through the overlap and shot forward. Slipping through the gap, barely scraping past the recharging shields, and settling above the _Enterprise's_ saucer section.

Everybody breathed a sigh of relief as Riker said, 'Sorry about that. I thought we had more clearance.'

Picard glanced at him quizzically, eyebrow raised, but remained silent.

In the vast, cavernous area that was the main shuttlebay, four columns of blue energy shimmered into place, and Picard, Riker, Hedly and a security guard materialised. Immediately, they all became alert and, phasers aimed, spread quickly out amongst the dark shuttles, searching for trouble.

A few minutes later, Picard and Riker reached one of the tractor beam control stations, in order to bring aboard the two shuttles still waiting outside the _Enterprise_. Riker powered up the docking tractor beam, while Picard opened the doors and activated the forcefield.

As the doors slid open slowly, a blue beam of energy shot out from the emitters on the frame of the hangar bay doors. It ensnared the _Hawking_, and slowly reeled the tiny shuttle in.

As it did so, Riker began to drop the shields around the hangar bay entrance, allowing the _Justman_ to approach. As the _Hawking_ entered the shuttlebay, the _Justman_ slid through the gap in the shields and followed its flight path. The two shuttles settled to the deck with barely a sound. From the slowly opening doors spilled the rest of the away team, phasers ready and expressions grim.

Hedly emerged from behind one of the smaller shuttles. 'The bay's deserted, sir,' she said quietly. 'There's no-one here at all.'

Picard nodded once, keeping the conversation to a minimum. He then turned to the console that gave access to the computer's functions, and quietly said, 'Computer, transfer all computer functions to shuttlebay 1. Authorisation Picard, 4-7-alpha-tango.'

'First officer verification also required,' replied the computer.

'Computer, authorisation Riker 7-9-gamma-epsilon,' said Riker.

The computer paused for a moment, and then said, 'Transfer complete.'

Instantly, the entire ship juddered, forcing them all to grab something to remain steady. La Forge spoke, voice quiet. 'Captain, that was the _Enterprise_ going to warp.'

A moment later, the screens that displayed computer readouts around the shuttlebay all flashed red, and brought up the words, "Computer functions locked out."

La Forge came around the side of the console and cursed violently. 'Sir, the computer's just locked out all of the command functions. It's using the same fractal encryption code that Data used against the Borg. It was set to lock out the computer the moment anyone tried to re-route the controls to the shuttlebay. The only person who can break it is Data.'

Picard looked straight at him. 'Is it possible Data has been coerced into helping the Aralla?'

'Possible, sir, although I can't think of anything that would make him do that,' said La Forge, his face unhappy.

'Neither can I, but the Aralla are extremely powerful,' said Picard, his face worried also. 'As of now, I believe we must anticipate that Mr. Data is working with the enemy, either unwillingly or otherwise. Admiral Nechayev has somehow coerced him into locking the computer controls out of our grasp. She has also sent the ship into warp. Do we have any idea of the heading, Mr. La Forge?'

'A planet in the Neutral Zone, sir. It's –'

'Emeralle II,' finished Picard, the entire situation suddenly becoming clear. 'She's trying to get back to the rest of the Aralla fleet; that which was trapped in the other universe; or maybe even the Aralla fleet we confronted before it was destroyed. We've got to stop her before she brings them through.'

The others didn't even acknowledge him. They all knew what was at stake.

'Sir,' said La Forge, 'You do realise that with the computer locked out, the highest we can set our weapons to is maximum stun. That is, unless Admiral Nechayev changed the phaser recognition settings before she shut us out.'

'Good point, Geordi,' said Picard. He tested his phaser. Geordi was correct. 'Our objective is to stun and capture her and then regain control of the _Enterprise_.'

'Understood, sir,' said Riker, his tone indicating his shift into battle mode. 'We need to search the ship quickly. Five teams, one senior staff member and two security guards. Commander Hedly, organise the teams.'

'Aye, sir,' she said, and began giving orders to her security personnel.

'What is our ETA at Emeralle II?' Picard's question was aimed at Geordi.

'Before they locked the computer out, we were travelling at maximum warp. Given that, we have something like three hours before we enter the Emeralle system.'

'We've got three hours,' said Picard to himself.

'Sir,' said Hedly, 'I've got the security teams ready.'

'Understood.' He pointed to one pair of guards, Horner and Cavell. 'You're with me,' he said. 'We're going to the bridge. Number One, go to sickbay. See if you can find Doctor Crusher.'

'Aye, sir.' Riker motioned to a pair of guards and left the bay.

'Counsellor. Take your guards to check the crew quarters on Deck 8.'

'Yes, sir,' Troi replied, looking not like the Counsellor she was for a moment, but a battle-seasoned warrior.

'Commander La Forge, go to Engineering. See if you can shut down the warp core. If the ship makes it to Emeralle II, I want you to destroy the ship.'

La Forge went pale for a moment, and then nodded. He left the bay at a jog, followed by his two guards.

'Commander Hedly, take your men and check out the senior crew quarters. If you can't find her, go to check each of the transporter rooms.'

'Aye, sir,' said Hedly, with eyes like flint.

'Lieutenant Thames.' Thames nodded, her beautiful face grim. Picard paused for a second. 'Go to check the other shuttlebays and the Captain's Yacht. She may not use the transporter to beam down.'

'Aye, sir.'

Picard turned to his guards. 'Let's go.'

When Picard reached the bridge, he gasped in shock at the bodies scattered across the deck. He motioned for the two guards to quickly check the bodies, and he himself rushed to Data's unmoving body, propped against the port bulkhead. 'Cavell! Over here!'

The young guard rushed to his captain's side, senses alert. 'Yes, sir?'

Picard pointed to Data. 'Aim your rifle directly at Mr. Data's head. On my order, you will fire on full disrupt. Understood?'

'Sir –'

'I gave you an order, Ensign!' said Picard, not angry, but rushed. His face softened abruptly. 'If he has been taken over by the parasite, we need to eliminate the problem now.'

Cavell nodded once, firmly. 'Aye, sir.' He pointed the rifle full into Data's expressionless face.

'Remember, fire only on my order,' Picard reminded.

'Yes, sir,' answered Cavell again, obviously nervous.

Picard waited until he knew that Cavell was ready, and then reached around to Data's back and pressed his "on" switch. As the android jerked to life, Picard stepped quickly away and drew his phaser. Data blinked twice, as if bringing himself around from a long sleep, and looked up at Cavell's nervous face and then squinted at the phaser mere inches from his face. He glanced up at Picard. 'Captain?'

'Data, are you fully functional?' asked Picard quickly.

There was a pause and then Data answered, 'Yes, sir. All systems functioning normally.' He looked at the phaser again. 'Can I ask why I am being threatened by Ensign Cavell?'

'Can you remember what happened to you, Data?' asked Picard. 'How did you get onboard the _Enterprise_?'

Data's face became sickened. 'Admiral Nechayev boarded the shuttle while we were sheltering from the storm. She murdered the entire security squad, sir, and threatened to kill Doctor Crusher as well unless I complied.'

'You let her do all this?' asked Picard, amazed.

'She set her phaser rifle to wide beam and killed them all without warning, sir. I doubt any of them realised they had been shot.'

'And then?'

'She threatened Doctor Crusher's life. When I refused to co-operate, Nechayev broke her arm and threatened her again. I had no choice.'

Picard took on a thoughtful expression. 'I see. How did you incapacitate the crew?'

'Using a remote link between the shuttle's computer and that of the _Enterprise_, I released anesthezine gas throughout the ship. We then beamed onboard. Doctor Crusher tried to get away to sickbay, but I believe that the creature followed her and either killed her or otherwise neutralised her.' As he said this, Data's face grew concerned. 'Sir, I didn't do any of this voluntarily! I –'

'Don't worry, Data. You may have given us the time we need to capture her.' Picard stepped back, and signalled to Cavell to help Horner. Data got to his feet gratefully, and looked at Picard, his eyes apologetic and ashamed.

'Data, how far progressed is the transformation?' asked Picard.

'Further than Commander Remmick had been changed, sir,' replied the android. 'She has been removing parts of her interior anatomy in a rather gruesome manner, and deposited them all around the ship, including your ready room, sir.' Data avoided Picard's face, and the captain almost laughed at the fact that Data was more ashamed about a bloody mess in his ready room than the fact that he had been forced to incapacitate his entire crew.

'Not only that, but she appears to have gained enormously in strength and technical aptitude. I have not managed to communicate with any vestige of Admiral Nechayev, sir.'

'We're fairly certain that she's dead, Data,' replied Picard matter-of-factly. 'I think that the parasite has caused a death of personality to occur. It's been rejecting her anatomy in favour of its own for quite a while now. No human could survive that.'

Horner and Cavell had finished checking the crew, and Picard turned to get their report. 'Sir, we checked for the parasites. They're all clean.'

Picard let out a sigh of relief. 'Any casualties?'

'No, sir,' replied Horner. 'They were all knocked unconscious. No signs of injury, so it's probable that they didn't make any conscious contact with Admiral Nechayev.'

Picard nodded once, and directed his gaze at his ready room. All four of them turned to look at the door before them, suddenly realising that they had been ignoring an extremely good hiding place for what could have been a dangerously long time. Picard slowly raised his rifle. 'I think –'

His commbadge bleeped, interrupting him. 'Picard here,' he said, before realising that the bleep had come over his commbadge, and not the ship's intercom net. He sighed, tapped his badge, and repeated, 'Picard here.'

'Sir,' said Riker's voice, 'we're in sickbay at the moment. We've found Doctor Crusher.'

Picard did not find the expected of jolt of fear that would once have been his response over Beverly's welfare. Instead, there was merely the concern a shipmate would feel for a colleague. He scowled momentarily, and said brusquely, 'Condition?'

'She's alive, sir.' There was no mistaking the relief in Riker's voice. 'It look's like she's got a broken arm, though.'

'Try and revive her and get her arm fixed, Commander,' ordered Picard. 'We'll need her if we're to take down the creature.'

'Understood. Riker out.'

The badge bleeped again. 'La Forge to Picard.'

'Picard here.'

'Sir, I've rigged the warp core. It'll blow if we come out of warp speed.'

Picard paused, a horrified thought suddenly occurring. 'Please tell me that you can reverse the sabotage.'

'Of course, sir,' said Geordi, his voice slightly chiding.

Picard breathed a silent sigh, wondering why he had ever doubted his Chief Engineer. 'Carry on with your search, Commander.'

'Aye, sir.'

Picard waited a moment for the badge to bleep, but when it didn't, he motioned to Cavell and Horner to take up position on either side of his ready room door. Passing Data his phaser, he levelled his rifle at the door, and counted to three under his breath. Then he slammed the door release.

As the door slid open, Horner and Cavell sprayed the room with phaser fire. Set to stun, the weapons caused no damage to the silent room of ornaments. Picard stepped in behind them, ready for trouble, but none came. He checked quickly, and then retreated.

He stood for a moment, irresolute, as he decided his next move. 'What's our ETA at Emeralle II, Data?'

'Fifty-two minutes, sir,' the android replied immediately. 'Do you wish me to unlock the computer?'

'No,' said Picard. 'At the moment, we're on level terms. And I don't want her to be able to kill again.'

'Understood.' Data paused, but he could not stop himself. 'What's our next move, sir?'

Picard knew that the android had seen the expression of indecision on his captain's face, and so he treated Data to a brief glare, and resumed his derailed train of thought.

'Riker to Picard!' Riker's voice was pressured and overlaid by static.

'Picard here.'

'Sir, we're under attack! Deck seven, section four!' announced the first officer, his voice nearly distorted by another burst of what both Data and Picard recognised to be localised phaser interference.

Picard glanced at Data. 'On our way.' 

Riker ducked the phaser blast which blew sparks from the bulkhead immediately behind him. A return burst from one of the security guards flashed down the corridor, but evidence of its lack of effect was presented when another beam exploded against the bulkhead.

They had been pinned down as they had approached sickbay. A bend in the corridor provided ample cover for an attacker, and they had approached cautiously. Suddenly, phaser beams had begun lancing towards them from just around the bend, and they had been forced to take cover in the doors and side corridors.

Riker crawled across to Lieutenant Burnell's side. The young woman had taken a grazing phaser beam on the arm, and she lay on the deck in agony. However, Riker had been impressed with the way that she had tried to get her rifle into her other hand to join the firefight. It had taken a direct order to stop her doing so. He gave her a quick smile, eliciting a pained but determined response from her, and then examined her arm.

As another phaser blast burned the air above them, Riker said, 'How has she managed to set the phaser to kill?'

Burnell shook her head. 'Unknown, sir,' she replied, her voice strained. 'It's supposed to be technically impossible if the ship's computer is locked out.'

Riker nodded slowly as he inspected the ugly wound. 'She's gained a lot of technical expertise in the last few days, Lieutenant.'

'Yes, sir,' agreed Burnell. She looked at Riker, a trace of fear in her eyes. 'How's the wound, sir?'

Riker paused. The injury was not immediately fatal, but she would die if they couldn't get her to sickbay soon. 'You'll be fine, Lieutenant,' he said eventually, but Burnell had seen the concern in his eyes.

She smiled, and said, 'Are you okay, sir?'

Riker nodded once and then mock-glared at her. 'Why do you security people have to be so selfless? It really pisses me off!'

Another beam hit the bulkhead and blasted out a section of wiring. Riker winced reflectively, and then smiled as Data leant around the corner of a bulkhead behind them and sent a beam of energy back down the corridor. The android immediately dropped to the floor and crawled up behind Riker, followed by Picard, Cavell and Horner.

'Nice to see you, Number One,' remarked Picard. Riker nodded back, a smile gracing his face quickly. He motioned to Ensign Callaghan, who was the other guard of his team, to pull back and cover Burnell.

'Burnell's hit badly,' said Riker tersely and quietly. 'She could die.'

Picard nodded. 'How's she been able to reset the phasers?' The question was addressed to Data, who was staring at the phaser beams sizzling through the air above them.

'One moment, please, sir,' said Data unexpectedly. Picard glanced at Riker, who shrugged helplessly. Abruptly, the android got to his feet and took two steps forward.

Picard nearly leapt to his feet to pull the android back, but restrained himself and instead hissed, 'Data! What are you doing?'

The android remained silent, and took another two steps - this time one forward and one to the left. The phaser fire missed him. A large step followed, to the right. Again the phaser fire missed.

As the eccentric path continued, Riker turned to Picard, amazement on his face. 'How's she missing him?'

Picard had worry etched onto his strong features. 'It might not be unintentional,' he replied slowly. 'She may be controlling Data somehow, and this might be an act. Remember, we have only Data's word for what happened.'

Riker's face became worried. 'What do we do?'

At that moment, Data reached the bend of the corridor, and knelt down. He raised his phaser, somehow avoiding being hit from the phaser beams that were emanating from just around the bend. He fired.

The beam struck the far wall of the bend, and elicited a small shower of sparks from a small black node on the wall, which was the first time Riker or anyone else had noticed it. Riker suddenly realised that the beams had been coming from this object. Difficult to see under normal circumstances, the phaser blasts had hidden it from view until Data had uncovered it. A moment later, the phaser beams stopped coming, and Data stood again, holstering his phaser. 'We should be clear now, sir,' he called. 

Picard rose warily to his feet, surprise showing on his face. He directed a questioning glance at Data, who answered the unspoken question by saying, 'We took aboard a cargo of automatic phaser sentries at _Deep Space Nine_, did we not?'

Riker nodded as he stood up. 'He's right, sir. That's one of them.'

'How did you know?' queried Picard. 'It was small and hidden by the phaser fire.'

'The sentries cannot fire truly random bursts, but use patterns so complicated that, to the human eye, they appear to be random. This was firing a pattern known as Forbic eight-two. I recognised the pattern, and simply placed myself where I knew the beams would not hit me,' answered Data. 'That, incidentally, is how she got around the problem of using kill settings when the computer is locked out. Those sentries are not linked to the _Enterprise's_ main computer in any way, so they can be set to levels higher than stun.'

Riker turned to Picard. 'We'd better warn the other teams, sir, in case they encounter any other booby traps.'

Picard nodded, still looking at Data. 'Inform them that if they do encounter them, they should not engage one, but should back off and wait for Mr. Data to join them.'

'Aye, sir,' said Riker. He moved off a short distance and tapped his commbadge. 'Riker to all teams.'

Picard looked at the lump of fused metal on the wall in disgust. 'She's kept us pinned here for a reason,' he said angrily.

'All teams report that they have made no encounter with either Nechayev or any sentries.'

'Where the hell is she?'

'Sir, I believe that she is merely evading capture until she can leave the ship,' said Data. 'Our ETA at Emeralle II is now only forty three minutes and twelve seconds.' Riker glanced at him. Without batting an eyelid, Data added, 'Approximately.'

Picard ignored all of this byplay, and stared back down the corridor. 'Number One, Data go to the bridge. Unlock the computer and bring us out of warp. We'll have to flush her out. I'll have Hedly and Thames meet you there.'

Data nodded solemnly. He and Riker set off down the corridor. Picard tapped his commbadge. 'Picard to La Forge.'

'La Forge here, Captain.'

'Geordi, are you still in engineering?'

'Yes, sir.'

'Good. Reverse the sabotage on the warp core. Data's going to bring us out of warp.'

There was no mistaking the relief in Geordi's voice. 'Aye, sir. La Forge out.'

'Picard to Hedly.'

'Hedly here.'

'Commander, take your team and proceed immediately to the bridge, and meet Commander Riker and Commander Data.'

'Aye, sir.' The link cut, and Picard was just about to call Thames when he suddenly heard her voice, I'm on my way, Jean-Luc.

Picard smiled.

Thames heard Picard's smile in the back of her mind. She found herself smiling as well, eliciting a glance from her friend and colleague, Lieutenant Sturgess. 'Is everything all right, Rosanna?' Sturgess asked.

'Everything's fine,' answered Thames. 'Just great. Captain Picard wants us on the bridge.'

Sturgess looked at her for a brief moment, but then remembered Deanna Troi's quick explanation of the mind-link that had developed between Picard and Thames. 'Understood. She nodded to her partner, Ensign Latiss, and the trio began to hurry down the corridor.

Horner, Cavell and Picard, however, had gone to Engineering. Picard passed his rifle to Cavell, who, with Horner and the guards who had accompanied Geordi, took up position at the access points to Engineering. Picard stepped over to Geordi's side. 'Data's going to unlock the computer on the bridge and bring us out of warp. Hopefully, it'll bring Nechayev out of hiding. She needs to get to Emeralle II.'

'Where do you think she'll go?' asked Geordi.

'Three possibilities, as far as I can see. The bridge, here, or the main shuttlebay; I've had Counsellor Troi lock out the others. Her team is there now. There are three teams on the bridge, and two here. I think you can see my order of probability.'

Geordi smiled at the captain's light remark, and then the computers flashed abruptly into life. A moment after that, the warp core abruptly slowed down and settled into a slow, steady thrumming pattern. Geordi glanced at Picard. 'We're at impulse power.'

Picard nodded, and hefted his rifle. 'Now we wait.'

It had felt it too; the almost imperceptible shudder that had run through the ship's structure when it had come out of warp speed. It knew instinctively that it was not close enough. Not yet. However, it also knew the way that Picard thought. Knew it from the way the Aralla had known that the defenders would retreat in the way that they had done in the other timeline.

It waited for a brief moment, and then made its decision. It was the greatest risk, but the course it followed made risk a necessity. It would survive.

Satisfied with its decision, it turned around, and crawled back through the Jeffries tube. Gazing out through the vents, it smiled at what it saw.

Picard had foreseen every possible course of action it could have taken, but failed to recognise the level of technical ingenuity that the parasite had reached.

It kicked out the vent, which clattered to the deck, and jumped out to land on the deck silently. Before it stood the impressive structure of transporter room three. It strode to the console and checked the position of the _Enterprise_. As it had thought, they were out of warp, but just close enough to Emeralle II to make the plan a possibility. And, in her consideration, a possibility meant that it was a successful plan.

Noticing the unconscious body of the transporter chief, it set its phaser to kill, and casually disintegrated him. It could not have the human waking up and interfering. The crew would soon begin to start recovering.

Setting the weapon on the floor, it set to work.

'Picard to Riker. Any sign of her yet?'

'No, sir. We need to report, sir, that we misjudged how close we were to Emeralle II.'

'How do you mean?'

Riker glanced at Data, sat at the Ops console. 'Sir, it appears that if we had continued at warp speed, we would have arrived at Emeralle II in five minutes, ten seconds,' said the android.

There was silence at the other end of the line. Then Picard said, 'Turn us around and head back to the Federation at maximum warp.'

'Aye, sir,' said Riker.

'Picard out.' Riker turned to Data, who had glanced at him worriedly.

'Sir, I'm reading an unusual power surge.'

'Where?' asked Riker.

'It's running through three different conduit junctions. It'll take me a moment to pinpoint.'

'Do it then,' said Riker.

Data turned back to his console.

In Engineering, things were getting tense. Picard was pacing annoyedly around the huge room, and Geordi was making a valiant attempt to keep him calm. 'Sir, I don't think that we ought to get concerned yet. We've only just set up –'

'She's outthinking me!' snarled Picard in a tone of voice that Geordi had never heard before. 'And I'm stuck down here, doing nothing!' He slammed a fist into a bulkhead.

'Sir, we can't just go running around the ship looking for her. She could be anywhere,' said Geordi, his voice calming.

'I know that she has a back-up plan. And I can't think what it is,' said Picard, his voice still angry, but more controlled than the feral snarl he had emitted moments earlier. 'She must have planned for coming out of warp too far away from Emeralle II.' He paused, and turned to give the warp core a penetrating stare.

'So what am I missing here?'

'To transporter room three?' said Riker, stunned. 'Are we close enough to the planet?'

'It would be risky, but possible. With the amount of power being routed through there, she could conceivably do it.'

'Riker to Picard!'

'Picard here,' said the captain calmly.

'Sir, we've found a power source,' said Riker excitedly. 'It seems to be directed at transporter room three.'

'Are we within transporter range?'

'Barely, sir,' replied Riker. 'Shall I send a security team down to –'

'No! I'm going myself. Picard out!'

'Sir, are you sure that's wise?' asked Geordi. 'We've seen what she's capable of doing.'

'She won't do it to me,' said Picard confidently.

'How do you know?'

Picard grabbed a rifle and slammed it to maximum. 'Because I'll do it to her first.' So saying, he left Engineering at a run.

Geordi's voice came through on the bridge. 'Commander, Captain Picard's gone after Admiral Nechayev!'

Riker grabbed his phaser rifle from his chair, and motioned to two of the security guards. 'Data,' he called over his shoulder as he hurried to the turbolift, 'look after the bridge.'

'Aye, sir,' answered Data, but Riker and the security guards had already gone. Thames glanced at Data worriedly.

And then she felt something in the back of her mind.

Riker's mind was filled with concern about Picard. He seemed to have become obsessed with finding and eliminating Admiral Nechayev. The first officer could not understand his captain's anger and drive. It was as if Nechayev had done something grievously wrong to him in the past.

Of course, there was the story Picard had told of Nechayev's betrayal of them in the alternate universe, but Riker still had the jury out on Picard's story. He seemed to have greatly changed in the last few days, but that could be directly attributable to his new-found love.

This was turning out to be a damned strange mission.

Picard strode down the corridor, anger and determination making a strange mixture on his face. Phaser rifle ready, he reached transporter room three, and simply strode through the doors. As he did so, he lowered the rifle, and fired a raking blast on full power straight into –

The far wall of the room, blowing out a control panel.

Picard halted, having expected Admiral Nechayev to be stood there, waiting for him. Instead, there was only the empty transporter room, filled the with the hum of overstressed power conduits. And a black stain on the deck. Picard knelt down, and scanned it with his tricorder.

At that moment, Riker and his security team burst in. Levelling their phasers at the empty room, they gazed in blank astonishment as they realised that Nechayev was long gone. Picard stood again, and passed the tricorder to Riker, his face a mask of outraged determination. 'She's gone from here. She powered up the transporter and set it onto a recursive power loop.' He went around the console and shut the transporter down. 'That was the transporter chief.'

Riker's expression changed to that of disgust. 'She killed him?' Picard nodded.

'He might have woken up.'

Riker shook his head. 'Sir, what are we dealing with here?'

'The Aralla. The deadliest group of killers any universe has ever seen. They are taught to regard all other races as vermin. Killing is not a problem for them. And we appear to be dealing with a particularly maladjusted specimen here. Frankly, we're lucky that we're only dealing with the one Aralla rather than a group.' He looked up at Riker and smiled slightly. 'Relatively speaking.'

'Where could she be?' asked one of the guards.

Troi was brushed by the phaser blast that flashed across the shuttlebay and slammed into the shuttlecraft _Ranger_, behind her. As she forced herself to move out of the firing line, purple spots flickered before her eyes, and she knew that she was fighting to stay conscious. She struggled to hide herself behind a cluster of barrels.

Another blast roared through the bay, and a choked scream told her that someone else had not been so lucky as she had been.

None of them could tell where the beams were being fired from. Nechayev had obviously chosen a good hiding place. She was intent on eliminating the security presence, and then she would steal a shuttle.

Troi knew that she was losing her battle. However, she had one last thing to do. She forced herself to tap her commbadge. The noise of its activation seemed to be covered by the sound of another phaser blast. 'Troi to Picard,' she gasped out.

And the hiding place was suddenly cast aside as Nechayev found her. Troi found herself staring at the once graceful Starfleet Admiral in shocked dismay. 'Picard here,' said the commbadge.

Nechayev pointed the weapon at Troi. And the phaser roared its death song.

Nechayev stood poised for a further second after the phaser blast. Then, somehow, she turned and saw her attacker.

Rifle pointed.

Beautiful face grim.

Rosanna Thames watched the cadaver that was once Admiral Nechayev fall before her, unconscious.

Thames rushed to Troi's side. 'Counsellor?'

Troi struggled to her feet and stared thankfully at her saviour. Then, because her body could not take it any longer, she collapsed in a heap.


	6. Fireworks

__

Chapter VI

Captain's Personal Log: Stardate 51314.2 – The _Enterprise_ crew has been revived from the effects of the anesthezine gas, and we are en route for Starbase 629 to release Admiral Nechayev – or rather, the Aralla parasite that has totally possessed her body – to Starfleet Intelligence. I have admitted before that I never totally got on with Admiral Nechayev, but I recognise her as an outstanding officer of the highest quality, and the death that was inflicted upon her by the Aralla was a cruel end for such a distinguished officer. Her memory must not be tarnished by those acts that were committed by her walking corpse. The deaths of fifteen security guards and the death of Transporter Chief McConnell were acts carried out by an unfeeling creature that regards all other races as vermin to be destroyed. However, it has been sedated and imprisoned in the brig, and will be delivered to Starfleet at Starbase 629, thank god. The previous mission has taken a great toll on all of us, myself especially. An impromptu victory celebration has been organised in Ten-Forward, with our heroine of the hour, Lieutenant Thames, as guest of honour. I will be joining them shortly, but first I have to get a ring from somewhere.... 

'How did you work it out?' asked Riker, as they celebrated in the area of the ship they had christened Ten-Forward in honour of the old ship's bar on the _Enterprise_-D. All around the huge room were windows that displayed an almost uninterrupted view around the ship.

Thames shrugged, embarrassed by all the attention. 'It was Mr Data and Captain Picard who did the hard work. I simply shot her.'

'But how?' asked Troi.

'Well, I suddenly heard the Captain's thoughts. I knew he was in the transporter room. He was wondering where Admiral Nechayev was. On a sudden hunch, I asked Mr. Data if he would run a pinpoint sensor scan for human/Aralla lifesigns in the shuttlebay. We detected her and a lot of phaser energy flying about as well. There wasn't much time. I picked up a rifle and had myself beamed to the shuttlebay. It was pure luck that I beamed in when I did.'

Riker shook his head. 'A piece of brilliance. I think a commendation might be in order, Lieutenant.'

Thames smiled slightly and then what Riker had said suddenly got through. 'Shouldn't that be Captain Picard's decision?'

Riker shrugged. 'As far as I know, he's still going to retire.'

Riker's sudden reflection on what happened in the past stopped the conversation. La Forge and Data, who were on the fringes of the group, suddenly looked into their drinks. Troi gazed glumly at Riker, and Thames felt her eyes tearing.

'Speaking of which,' said La Forge with a forced jollity, 'where is he?'

'I believe he's still on the bridge,' said Data.

Abruptly the doors slid open. They all turned, but were disappointed to see that it was only one of the crew walking through the doors.

They all began to drift back to their various conversations when Picard suddenly strode through the doors He was carrying something in his clenched left fist. He had the look of a determined man who was going to See It Through no matter what.

He strode to the front of the crowd, his back to the starscape, and turned to face them. The buzz of conversation quieted quickly. The hush of anticipation resounded through the room.

'As you all know,' he began, 'I recently made a decision to retire from Starfleet. I have since thought through my decision, and, following recent events, I have decided to reconsider.'

The room was dead silent for a moment, and then a great roar of approval swept through, begun by Riker and La Forge at the back of the room. Picard smiled at the response, and glanced at his hand, which was still tightly closed. He waited, and then raised his hand for quiet. Peace, of an excited and frivolous nature, reigned.

'I have also come to another decision, one which has not taken me long to consider, although it remains... subject to approval.' He smiled that beguiling smile again, and watched the confused murmurs sweep through the crowd. Without another word, he stepped off the platform, and made his way through the crowd.

As the excited and surprised onlookers watched, he reached the smiling but bemused group of senior officers who had led the cheering, and faced Lieutenant Thames. The room went quiet with anticipation again, and then a collective murmur swept through the crowd as Picard went down on one knee before her and opened his hand. It contained a sparkling ring. As the shocked senior officers watched, Picard looked up into Thames' eyes and, love shining in his own eyes, said quietly, 'Rosanna Thames, will you marry me?'

And, tears of happiness welling up, Thames said, 'Yes.'

Picard slipped the ring onto her finger, stood, and they kissed, unheeding of the crowd of onlookers who suddenly, at Riker's prompting, broke into thunderous, rapturous applause.

'A one, two, a one two three four!' Riker and his jazz band began playing in one corner of the room. Data, unusually for him, had asked to join in, and his violin could be heard in the background of the bright jazz number. Instead of sounding incongruous, it blended in perfectly.

Which, Deanna reflected under a haze of dazed pleasure, was exactly right. The occasion had evolved from a quiet victory celebration to a full-blown engagement party for the captain and Lieutenant Thames.

Which, in itself, was pretty incongruous, she decided. Who would have thought that the captain would ever marry – and especially a member of his own crew?

Captain Picard and Lieutenant Thames had just left the dancefloor, after being congratulated by another newly arrived group of well-wishers. Again, Deanna had watched the captain dancing – dancing! – and truly having the time of his life.

Something was seriously weird.

Then she glanced across the room, and saw Doctor Crusher, sat on her own in the far corner of the bar. Deanna decided she would join her.

Making away through the crowd, she reached Beverly's table and said, 'Mind if I join you?'

Beverly didn't reply immediately, her gaze fixed on the far wall, her eyes distant. Then she seemed to come back and looked up. 'Sorry?'

'Mind if I join you?'

'Oh, by all means,' said Beverly, slightly surprised at herself. Troi sat gracefully and looked out across the room again. Then she glanced back at Beverly and noted the distant look again.

'Is everything all right?' asked Troi, her happiness turning to professional concern for her friend.

'Oh yes, everything's fine,' said Crusher, forcing a smile that was patently false. 'Why shouldn't it be? Jean-Luc's going to be married and we're all happy for him.' Her voice had become bitter.

Troi leaned towards her friend. 'What's the matter?'

Crusher sighed and sipped her drink. 'When Jean-Luc and I were captured by the Prytt, three years ago, we had our minds attached by a psychic link. From that link, I learned that he loved me, not just as a friend, and that he'd been afraid to reveal it for fear of betraying Jack's memory.'

'I remember you telling me,' commented Troi.

'But what I didn't tell you was that afterward, Jean-Luc was...' She struggled for the right word, 'interested in pursuing a relationship.'

Troi raised her eyebrows. 'And what did you say to him?'

'Damn me, I rejected him!' Crusher's low voice was full of bitterness and anger, directed at herself. 'I said no!'

'How did he take it?' asked Troi.

'Well enough,' Crusher replied, her voice still angry. 'He must have decided that I just wasn't interested in him at all.'

'The captain didn't make any other... requests?'

'None at all. He was very conscientious about keeping our relationship strictly businesslike.'

Troi shook her head. 'And now he's found his love at last.'

'And I realised that I'd missed a pretty big opportunity,' said Crusher. She tossed back the rest of her drink. 'And now I'm sat here, having to look happy for him – and I am! I'm glad he's found someone he loves and who loves him back just as much. But it's difficult, knowing I threw away a chance like that.'

Troi nodded sadly, and then winced as a stab of anger ran through her. She knew instantly that it wasn't Crusher or herself. Her first thought was that it was Nechayev in the brig, but she had never sensed any emotions from the parasite.

She glanced around the room, until she suddenly found the source. A young man was sat with two other junior officers and all three were wearing security gold. While the others he was sat with were laughing and smiling, he was frowning around the room.

She realised that the dark emotions that she was sensing came from him. Hatred, jealousy, anger. Crusher's voice said, 'Deanna? What's the matter?'

Deanna turned back to Crusher. 'That young man over near the bar. Do you recognise him?'

Crusher looked and said, 'The one with the frown? He's Ensign Regitz, I think. Why?'

'He's not one of Worf's "I take it all far too seriously" officers, is he?'

Crusher failed to suppress a smile at Deanna's remark. 'I don't believe so,' she said. 'I think he's one of Ghia's recruits, actually.'

'I'm detecting very dark emotions coming from him.'

'Some people are never happy. That's usually why they become security officers.'

'No,' said Deanna slowly. 'This is different. It's very specific and directed,' she added.

'At anyone in particular?'

Deanna watched the young man as he looked around the room, and then his head fixed in one place. Deanna followed his gaze.

Captain Picard and Lieutenant Thames were just stepping onto the main floor again, and Deanna immediately worked it out. 'Well, it appears someone else had designs on our young lieutenant.'

Crusher followed her gaze, and when she saw what she was looking at, she whistled softly. 'No wonder you were getting negative emotions.'

Regitz had turned away, but Deanna could feel the rising emotions like a cloying black liquid flowing through his mind. She turned back to Crusher. 'I think Mr Regitz has been upset by Lieutenant Thames' choice.'

Riker's band had now moved into a slightly slower, more seductive tune. Picard leant forward as they danced and said something into Thames' ear, and she smiled and laughed gently. Deanna immediately sensed something, and looked around.

Ensign Regitz had seen this too, and it had evidently been too much for him. He knocked back the rest of his drink, stood, said something to his companions, and strode rapidly from the room, seething anger in his every movement.

Deanna watched him go.

Regitz stalked into his quarters, wishing that he were able to slam the door behind him. He strode into the bathroom of his quarters and stripped off the jumpsuit section of his uniform. Clad in his vest and trousers, he walked back into the living section, and sat down. He glanced around – and his gaze settled on the small portrait of Rosanna Thames on his table.

He reached out slowly, and picked it up. Running his fingers along the portrait of her beautiful smiling face, he felt anger and hatred rise up, mixed with deep grief. His grip became tighter and tighter, until he stood up, and in one movement, hurled the portrait across the room, where it shattered against the wall. The pieces clattered onto the floor, and there was silence for a moment.

The doorknocker bleeped. Regitz ignored it for a moment, and when it bleeped insistently again, he stood up and said, forcing the anger down, 'Who is it?'

'Counsellor Troi, Ensign,' said Deanna's voice. 'Can I come in?'

Regitz leapt to his feet. 'Of course, sir!'

Deanna came through the door to find Regitz stood stiffly at attention. 'At ease, Ensign,' she said with a brief grin. 'I'm here as ship's counsellor, not as a superior officer.'

Regitz relaxed slightly. 'Thank you, sir,' he said. 'Would you like to sit down?'

'Thank you,' said Troi, and she took one of the seats. As she did so, she glanced about the room, and noted the broken portrait on the floor. She decided to ignore it for the moment, and faced Regitz. 'Is everything all right, Ensign?'

'Yes, Counsellor,' said Regitz hurriedly. 'Why shouldn't it be?'

'Well, you did leave the party pretty suddenly.'

'My prerogative,' said Regitz sharply, and Troi detected a burst of anger. It obviously registered on her face, because Regitz abruptly coloured and glanced down, realising to whom he had just spoken. 'Well, I have a duty shift coming up in an hour, and I didn't want to have too much.'

Troi nodded, not believing him for a moment. She got up and stepped across to where the broken remains lay. Regitz made an abortive move to stand, and then simply sat, a tense look on his face.

Deanna bent, picked up the portrait, looked at it, and then glanced at Regitz quizzically. 'How long?'

'A few years,' admitted Regitz ashamedly after a long pause. 'We were friends at the Academy together, although she's a year older than I am. I think I fell in love with her a while back, but I didn't dare tell her. I thought she'd laugh.'

Troi nodded, understanding. 'And then she met Captain Picard?'

'Well, it was before that,' said Regitz. 'She once admitted to me, in confidence – but I don't think it matters now – that she'd been attracted to the captain when she'd met him at the Academy one time.'

Troi nodded again. 'That explains a lot.'

Regitz didn't seem to hear her. He had become distant in the mists of his own recollection. 'She was always there for me. She would always listen. She always cared. I thought that she was the most wonderful person in the universe, and I always dreamed about her.' He looked up at Troi, his expression beseeching. 'There wasn't anyone else. Ever.' It was as if he was feeling that any trace of what he thought to be unfaithfulness to Thames had driven her to marry Picard.

'Did you ever think Rosanna felt the same way?'

Regitz's face fell. 'I don't know. I didn't want to face being rejected. I wish I'd said something!'

Troi looked at him, pity in her eyes. 'It would be in your best interests to come and see me for a few appointments, Ensign. You need to purge yourself of these unhealthy emotions.'

Regitz looked up at her as if seeing her for the first time. 'I'm afraid not, Counsellor,' he said.

Troi frowned. 'Why not?'

'I've been temporarily reassigned to Starbase 629. I'm part of the security complement that will be guarding Admiral Nechayev until Starfleet Intelligence can pick her up. I'm not expected to rejoin the _Enterprise_ for another three months.'

Troi nodded, her face clearing. 'Once you return then, if you feel that you have not purged these feelings, I would still like for you to come and see me.'

Regitz accepted the inevitable with good grace. 'Understood.'

'Thank you, Ensign. And, with your leave, I will return to the party.' Troi turned and left the room.

Regitz's commbadge bleeped. 'Sturgess to Regitz. It's ten minutes to your duty shift begins, Ensign.'

'Understood, Lieutenant,' he replied. 'Do you want me to come early so you can get to the party?'

He could hear the smile in Sturgess' voice. 'That would be extremely considerate of you, Michael,' she replied. Their friendship through Rosanna had made them friends as well.

'I'm on my way down now.'

Leanne Sturgess glanced across at the sleeping body of Nechayev and grinned slightly. She always had had a soft spot for Michael Regitz, although she'd never admit it. Rosanna had guessed, with the intuitiveness that was one of her endearing characteristics. Thames had often teased her friend about it, but Sturgess had known that Regitz would only have to ask if he ever wanted to get together with her.

Maybe he would do while they were assigned together at Starbase 629. Their duty shifts had rarely coincided on the _Enterprise_.

Regitz came through the door suddenly. Sturgess turned to face him, and smiled. 'Manage to tear yourself away?'

Regitz's face clouded for a moment, and he replied, 'Actually, I left early.'

'Why?' asked Sturgess. 'I thought Rosanna was –'

'I don't want to talk about it, Leanne,' said Regitz, barely controlling his voice. Sturgess shrugged, but relented.

'That's all right, Mike, but if you do, you know where I am, okay?' Her voice held a note of concern.

Regitz smiled slightly. 'Thanks,' he replied, taking his place at the security console. From his position, he could see Admiral Nechayev's body clearly. 'She given you any trouble?'

Sturgess shook her head. 'Slept like a babe. She's not moved since we put her in there.'

Regitz nodded, turning his attention back to Sturgess. 'You get down to the party, Leanne, and have a great time.'

Sturgess smiled and left the room with a cheery ''Bye,' hanging in the air.

Oh yes. She had a way through now. She could see every single facet and detail of his mind as he watched her. He would be an easy target.

She could see every weakness, every flaw in his mind. And, she realised, she had an unparalleled opportunity for double revenge. It would take a while to accomplish, but she would get her revenge.

Leanne Sturgess walked through the door of Ten-Forward to find most of the off-duty staff of the _Enterprise_ congregated in that one room. As she marvelled at how so many people could be fitted into such a tiny space without being cramped for room, Thames suddenly emerged from the crowd, a delighted, but slightly dazed smile on her face. 'Leanne!' she called to her friend.

'Rosanna!' The two women embraced and Thames pulled away first.

'Have you just got here?'

Sturgess nodded. 'Mike Regitz left this very same party in order to give me an extra ten minutes.'

Thames put on a playful expression. 'Maybe he's feeling in the mood at last. You never know.'

'Don't be silly.' Sturgess took a more serious expression. 'Actually, I don't think he's very happy, Rosanna. Can you have a word with him before we go?'

'Go?' Thames frowned. 'Where are you going?'

'We've been reassigned as part of the escort for Nechayev to Starbase 629,' replied Sturgess with a touch of pride. 'We'll be on Starbase for two or three months before we come back to the _Enterprise_. Word is, there'll be promotions all round afterwards.'

Thames smiled delightedly again, happy for her friends. 'That's wonderful news!'

Sturgess smiled, embarrassed. Then she noticed the ring on Thames' finger. 'That's beautiful,' she said, holding Thames' hand up for a better look.

To her surprise, Thames blushed. 'I know. It's the second most wonderful gift I've ever received.'

Sturgess frowned at her. 'What's the first?'

'Me, I hope,' said a voice behind her. Sturgess turned to find herself looking at Captain Jean-Luc Picard. 'Lieutenant Sturgess, I believe?'

He held out a hand, and Sturgess took it dumbly. 'Yes, sir,' she managed to say.

'Rosanna's told me a lot about you,' he said. 'I understand you've been assigned to escort the prisoner.'

'Yes, sir.'

'Congratulations are in order then. It's a very prestigious mission.'

'Yes, sir.'

'Well, don't let me disturb you,' said Picard. 'I'll be over there.' He kissed Rosanna quickly on the cheek and disappeared into the crowd.

Sturgess turned and looked at Thames again. 'Not only are you marrying the captain, but I've just made a complete and utter fool of myself in front of him.'

Thames shrugged. 'He'll understand. I shouldn't think it would cause him more than one or two sleepless nights.'

Sturgess glared at her friend. 'Very funny.'

Picard stepped up to Riker as the band paused between numbers. Instead of looking tired – Riker had been playing for more than two hours continuously without repeating himself – he looked as though he could go on all night. 'Having fun?' asked the captain mischievously.

'Aye, sir,' said Riker, a broad grin on his face. He leaned closer slightly. 'Geordi's just gone down to Engineering with Data. They say they've got something special planned. Watch out.'

Picard smiled. 'I'd just like to see them try something.'

'Geordi,' said Data plaintively as he trailed his friend through Engineering, 'this is completely illegal. Firing photon torpedoes and phasers this close to the ship and outside of a battle or battle drill situation is strictly against regulations.'

'Relax, Data,' said the Chief Engineer as he stopped at a door that led to one of the Jeffries tubes junctions. He opened the door and faced Data. 'These are modified torpedoes, remember? And the phasers are being powered down to one-third. We'll be okay.' He stepped into the junction and peered up the ladder quizzically.

'Nevertheless, I feel I must protest –'

Geordi turned to face Data, his face annoyed. 'Fine! Protest noted! Now will you give me a hand with this or not?'

Data's face cleared. 'By all means.'

He walked past Geordi and began to climb up the Jeffries tube ladder. Geordi was left shaking his head.

Hedly was the only member of the senior staff on bridge duty during the party, but she had an extra-special reason. 'La Forge to bridge.'

Hedly had been waiting for this moment. 'Go ahead – Geordi.'

There was a pause. 'Don't let it go to your head, Ghia,' said La Forge, his voice neutral. Hedly smiled.

'Bridge here. What can I do for you?'

'Get ready for Picard alpha-1.'

'Understood. On your mark.'

Ensign Truper glanced back at Hedly. 'Picard alpha-1, Commander?'

Hedly got up from the centre seat and made her way to the tactical console. She took over from the crewman there. 'Can you do me a sensor image of the ship, Ensign?' she asked after a moment, not looking at Truper.

Truper frowned, and then nodded. 'I can, but if we launch a probe, it'll give us a better image than if we bounce the sensor image off the shields.'

'Do so then, Ensign.' She smiled. 'Then you'll know what Picard alpha-1 is.'

Truper frowned again, but turned back to his board. 'Probe ready.'

Hedly pressed a key.

The probe shot out from the _Enterprise's_ forward torpedo launcher. Curving away from the _Enterprise_, it followed it's programming and turned to face the starship, matching her pace. Its sensors came online.

'Display telemetry on main screen,' said Hedly to Truper, who did so. The probe's view of the _Enterprise_ appeared on the screen, and Hedly gazed at it for a moment in satisfaction.

'Ladies and gentlemen,' said Riker. 'If I may have your attention?'

The crowd's buzz of conversation died down slowly as they turned to face Riker expectantly. Riker searched the crowd until he found Picard's and Thames' face. 'In honour of the _Enterprise's_ newest couple –' a rustle of applause shimmered through the room, and Picard gave Riker a scathing look, '- We've had something a little special planned for a while.' Riker tapped his commbadge. 'Computer, display the probe's telemetry on all viewers across the ship. Geordi, we're ready when you are.'

'Acknowledged, Commander. Enjoy the show, everyone.'

Riker indicated the windows giving a full view around the room of the space outside. The crowd clustered around, but allowed Thames and Picard to make their way to the front.

Hedly glanced down. 'Torpedoes armed and ready. Phasers and tractor beams standing by.'

Data looked at Geordi. 'Exterior lights are ready.'

Geordi took a breath. 'Activate exterior illuminations.'

Lights mounted all around the _Enterprise_ suddenly flared into life. Green, red and yellow beams of energy played across the shields, reflecting back in a light show of immense proportions. On the probe's sensors, it was impressive.

And Riker, from within Ten-Forward, who had known what to expect; had planned and prepared it with the senior staff a few hours before, had to admit that it was brilliantly done.

The _Enterprise_ shimmered like a beacon in the darkness of space. The probe was picking it all up and broadcasting it back to the crew, who watched it in dazzled amazement.

The lights shone across Ten-Forward like the Aurora Borealis, shimmering and shifting wildly. Picard had his arm around Thames, and her head was leaning on his shoulder.

Hedly watched the show, waiting for her order. Truper's jaw had dropped the moment the lights had come on. 'Commander Hedly, take it away,' said Geordi's voice suddenly.

'Aye, sir,' she replied, turning her attention to her readout.

This next part of the plan was the most crucial. However, she had got top marks in her year at the Academy for targeting and destruction of targets, and that was with random small objects. These would be planned trajectory projectiles.

The _Enterprise_ spat out a quantum torpedo, which curved away from the inside edge of the shields and zoomed towards the warp nacelles. A phaser beam stabbed out and hit it dead centre. The explosion was a violet burst of energy that lasted a moment and then faded.

A second torpedo curved away from the shields, and shot towards the warp nacelles. A second phaser beam lanced out and destroyed it, this time in a blaze of yellow.

A pair of torpedoes launched, and curved away in opposite trajectories, crossing paths above the saucer section. A pair of phaser beams lanced out and destroyed them in a mix of blue and purple colour.

The crowd laughed and applauded at each explosion. Riker smiled, as his faith in the chief of security did not let him down.

Hedly decided to try something different.

A quantum torpedo shot out and followed its fellows towards the nacelles. In a piece of inspirational targeting, Hedly grazed it with a phaser beam, sending the torpedo tumbling towards the shuttlebay. As Riker looked on in stunned amazement, another phaser beam exploded it less than two metres from the bay's roof.

He tapped his commbadge. 'Riker to Hedly.'

'Bridge here,' said Truper's voice. 'Sir, before you ask, she just took her badge off.' There was a pause and then, 'She also asked if you liked it, sir.'

Riker smiled and shook his head. 'Thank you, Ensign.'

The light show continued for another ten minutes, with Hedly becoming more and more outrageous in her stunts. However, she did not miss a single torpedo that she aimed for.

Her last shot was the most dangerous. If she missed, she could blow a hole in the ship. However, she did not intend to miss.

A torpedo launched and flashed towards the nacelles. A phaser beam followed it, and missed. As the crowd gasped, the beam bounced off the aft shields on a different trajectory, away from the torpedo.

Hedly forgot about the phaser for a moment, and activated a tractor beam. It lashed out and caught the torpedo for a second. The phaser beam arrowed towards it again, and the tractor beam cut out. The torpedo shot forward, the beam missing it by inches.

The torpedo changed course, and now headed directly for Ten-Forward's forward windows. As it grew larger and larger, the crowds, except for Picard and Thames, began to back off a little in worry. The captain and his fiancée watched in amused silence.

The torpedo filled their vision for a moment, and then the phaser beam hit it squarely in the underside. The bright explosion dazzled them all for a moment, and then faded.

While everyone was still dazzled, Riker surreptitiously wiped his brow. Hedly had got slightly carried away there, beyond even what Riker had expected. He would have to have words with her.

He realised that the crowd was applauding. He tapped his badge again. 'Riker to all operatives. Well done. And Commander Hedly?'

'Yes, sir?' she replied, her voice gleeful.

'Don't overdo it next time.'

'Understood. Is that a standing order?'

Riker prepared a witty retort, but Hedly had already cut the channel.

Riker glanced up, and found Picard looking at him, Thames next to him. 'Everything under control, Number One?'

'Perfectly fine, sir,' he replied, voice controlled. Picard raised an eyebrow, and glanced at Thames, his face amused.

'You're repeating yourself,' he said lightly. I'm starting to get sick of this mind-link, thought Riker. I'm also going to find out what she's thinking about me.

'Well, Number One,' said Picard, 'I have had an excellent time. Thank you very much. Extend that to the others as well.'

Riker nodded. 'Thank you, sir.'

'Can you thank them from me as well?' said Thames.

'No problem, Lieutenant.'

'I am afraid that we will have to leave you all now,' said Picard.

'Understood,' said Riker with a leer. Picard ignored it.

'Goodnight, Number One.'

He and Thames made a circuit of the room, saying their farewells and thanks, and then left Ten-Forward.

Riker watched them go, satisfied with the world again. At that moment, Troi came up to him. 'They're off then, I gather,' she said, a satisfied air in her voice as well.

'Yes,' said Riker, smiling at her. 'It's a time for relationships at the moment, it seems.'

'Get lost, Will,' said Troi, with no trace of rancour. She turned and disappeared into the crowd again. Riker laughed once, and then turned to the band.

'Time for one more?'

Picard and Thames stood outside Ten-Forward for a moment. 'Well,' said Picard, stuck for words.

Thames smiled. 'At this point of the evening, it is customary for you to escort me home.'

'Oh, right,' said Picard. 'This way, mademoiselle.'

They walked along the corridor quietly towards Thames' quarters, each lost in his or her thoughts. They had said just about everything they could so far, and now nothing remained except the knowledge of their love.

They arrived at her door, and Picard stopped. They both looked at each other, and Picard eventually opened the door. Thames stood in the doorway, and looked back at him again.

'At this point of the evening,' said Picard, 'it is customary for you to invite me in for coffee.'

Thames smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. 'Fuck coffee.'

They fell into the room.


	7. Pain In The Heart Of Pleasure

__

Chapter VII

Captain's Log: Stardate 51347.1 – We have – (laughter) – Computer, delete last entry.

Captain's Log: Stardate 51349.3 – We have arrived at Starbase 629 and removed Admiral Nechayev to Admiral T'Valla's command. I must admit a slight trace of – No, not a hangover! Computer, delete last entry.

Captain's Log: Stardate 51351.9 – I have relocated to my quarters at last. We have arrived at Starbase 629 and removed Admiral Nechayev to Admiral T'Valla's command. Our security team has escorted the prisoner, and we shall retrieve them when we return from Earth. On a personal note, I have been given permission from Starfleet Command to return to Earth a month ahead of schedule to plan my upcoming wedding. Note for file: don't try to record a log entry while in bed with Rosanna.

The _Enterprise_ orbited Earth, in the grip of the jaws of the McKinley Repair Station. On the surface, Riker had gone to visit his relatives in Alaska, whilst Beverly had gone with Deanna to visit Deanna's human relatives. Picard and Thames were introducing each other to their families, and Data had gone with Geordi to stay with Geordi's parents.

They knew the location of the wedding, however, to be held in LaBarre, France, on 4 April.

Federation press were to be allowed limited access to the event, which was hailed as one of the events of the year. In a time of cold war and tension, it did people good to know that life somewhere was going on as normal.

Captain Ben Sisko glanced up as the viewer bleeped. 'Sisko here.'

Jadzia Dax's face appeared on the screen. 'Captain, we've got a call coming from Captain Picard from Earth.'

Sisko raised an eyebrow. 'What's he doing on Earth?'

Dax shrugged. 'Don't ask me. Shall I put him through?'

'Do so then.' Dax vanished, to be replaced with the Starfleet chevron. A moment later, Picard's face appeared.

'Captain,' greeted Sisko cautiously.

Picard smiled. 'Just a quick call, Ben. I know you're busy. I'm getting married in a couple of months. I'd like to invite you to the wedding.'

Sisko stared at the screen in shock. 'Married?'

Picard frowned, and then smiled, comprehending. 'I guess it's a bit of a shock. It's still surprising to me.'

Sisko nodded, his face still blankly astonished. 'Invite?'

Picard nodded. 'Yes. In five weeks in LaBarre, France. I hope you can make it.' He took Sisko's blank nod as confirmation. 'Excellent. Your son's been invited as a trainee correspondent, I understand.'

Sisko's mind returned from whatever invisible rollercoaster it had been riding. 'I would certainly like to be there, Captain,' he said at last. 'Would you like me to convey your request to Mr. Worf and Chief O'Brien?'

Picard shook his head. 'I'll do that. Thank you for the offer.'

'May I ask who the lucky lady is?'

Picard smiled mysteriously. 'You'll just have to wait to find out. Can you put me through to Mr. Worf?'

Sisko smiled, accepting the inevitable. 'By all means. And, Captain Picard?'

'Yes?'

'Congratulations.'

Picard smiled. 'Thank you. Earth out.'

Worf was sat in his quarters, going over some reports, when his comm bleeped. 'Worf here.' To his surprise, Sisko answered.

'Worf, you have an incoming call from Earth. It's Captain Picard.'

Worf brightened up, pleased at the prospect of speaking with his old mentor. 'Put him through. Did he give any indication as to why he called?'

Sisko sounded amused. 'He did indeed. You're going to love this.'

The viewer flashed, and Picard appeared on it. 'Mr. Worf!'

'Captain Picard, it is good to see you,' said the Klingon in his usual restrained way. Picard's eyes flicked down to the pile of padds.

'I hope I didn't interrupt you.'

Worf glanced at the pile, and then cast them from the desk with one broad sweep of his arm. 'Nothing that can't be paused.'

Picard visibly forced down a smile. 'I just called to let you know that I would like to invite you to my wedding.'

Worf's eyes widened. 'Married?'

'Yes. April 4, LaBarre, France. I would hope you and Jadzia could come.'

'Invite?'

Picard nodded again, possibly getting worried about _Deep Space Nine_'s command staff's reversion to disyllabic words. 'The actual invite will come through the subspace messaging packages in due course.'

To his credit, Worf recovered from the shock quicker than Sisko had done. 'I would be delighted to be there, Captain! I'm sure Jadzia would be as pleased to go as well. Who is the lucky lady?'

'I'm not answering that question,' said Picard. 'You'll have to wait and see.'

'Will you be needing a guide on _Kal'Hyah_?'

Picard's eyes widened in surprised horror. 'No chance.'

Worf laughed. 'Would you like me to tell Chief O'Brien?'

Picard realised that Worf had been joking. 'No, thank you. I'll do it myself. Can you put me through?'

'The Chief is on duty at the moment. If you like I can put you through to Ops.'

'No, I think if you put me through to Keiko, that will be satisfactory.'

'Aye, sir,' said Worf with a smile. 'Congratulations.'

'Thank you. Picard out.'

Miles O'Brien walked through the door of his quarters, and dropped into a chair. 'I'm home, Keiko,' he called. His wife almost ran through and stood before him.

'We've been invited to a wedding!' she said excitedly.

Miles tried to muster a smile, but couldn't. 'Whose?'

Keiko's face was playful. 'Guess.'

'Well, Worf and Jadzia have already invited us to theirs, and Julian's not getting married. Neither is Captain Sisko, or Kira. Nog and Leeta have only just got together and Quark's happily single.' He looked up. 'It's not Odo, is it?'

'You're weird,' said Keiko. 'Think the _Enterprise_.'

'Commander Riker?'

'No.'

'Counsellor Troi?'

'You know who it is. You're just trying to annoy me.'

O'Brien paused, slightly shocked by the enormity of the suggestion. 'Not Captain Picard?'

Keiko smiled. 'It's wonderful news! We've been invited. Captain Sisko, Worf and Jadzia are all going.'

O'Brien's eyes widened. 'Married?'

'Yes!'

'Invite?'

'Yes!'

'Bloody hell!'

'I've just got an invitation to Rosanna's wedding!' said Leanne Sturgess as she burst into Regitz's quarters on Starbase 629, joy written across her face.

Regitz coughed into his glass, spraying water across the room. Sturgess watched him unsympathetically as he spluttered and snorted. 'What the hell are you doing?' said Regitz eventually, his uniform stained.

'Telling you,' said Sturgess, thrusting a small gold-edged envelope under his nose, 'that I've been invited to Rosanna's wedding!'

'Yeah? So have I?' Regitz waved a hand at a similar envelope on the table next to him.

'That's great. We can go together –'

'I'm not going.' Regitz's tone was flat and final. Sturgess gazed at him, concerned.

'Why not?'

'I've got a job to do. I can't just go swanning off to some flash wedding back on Earth. I've got –'

'A prisoner, secure in the brig. Nothing to do except stand around, controlling your bladder all day.' Regitz stared at her for a moment, and Sturgess finally saw the pain and anger that was in his eyes.

'Michael,' she said softly, 'what's wrong?'

Regitz turned away. 'Nothing.'

Sturgess sat down beside him and put an arm around him. 'Come on. I've known you too long. What's bothering you?'

Regitz laughed slightly , his tone bitter, and glanced at her. Sturgess was amazed to see tears in his eyes. 'You wouldn't understand.'

'Try me,' said Sturgess.

'I was reading this old history book the other day,' said Regitz. 'It said that in the twentieth century, men and women weren't able to form friendships because of sexual tensions. Each side always thought that the other was going to take advantage of the situation.'

'Go on,' encouraged Sturgess, not really understanding what Regitz was telling her, but glad that he was finally talking about it.

'Well, it's still the same in the twenty-fourth century,' said Regitz. 'I've been a friend to you and Rosanna ever since the Academy. We were assigned to the same ship and I was really comfortable with being friends with you both. Then I found out that she was engaged to Captain Picard and something inside me... just gave out suddenly.'

'How do you mean?' Sturgess fought to keep her voice level.

'I just felt so angry.' Regitz leapt to his feet, and began to pace the room, anger and bitterness in his every move. The words began to spill out, almost without control. 'I went to the party, and I saw everyone there laughing, and having a good time and enjoying themselves for the captain and Rosanna and I just had to get out and it was just too much and I hate it all!' The last words, a hoarse bitter yell of fury, were accompanied by a wide sweep of the arms that crashed a small vase from the table to the floor.

Sturgess watched this all in alarm. She had not realised that Regitz had been capable of burying his feelings so deep. 'Maybe you should speak to the Counsellor –'

'The Counsellor?! How the hell is she supposed to understand me?' Regitz beat a fist against his chest. 'I have these feelings for Rosanna, and they're wrong, but I've got them anyway! Can you imagine what it's like?!' With that, he turned, and stormed from the room, leaving Sturgess watching in stunned silence.

Regitz rushed blindly through the corridors of the Starbase, pushing aside people who did not get out of his way. As he did so, his mind ran over and over, back through his words, his anger, his jealousy.

Bitter hatred ran through his mind, as he headed for a destination that he did not know.

Thus it was that he found himself in the brig.

As he stepped through the door, for the first time he seemed to realise where he was. But now it was too late. Something had told him to come here. A feeling, perhaps. Maybe a hunch.

But something.

Nechayev smiled.

She spoke to him. Or, more accurately, she did not. Instead, her mind spoke directly to his. She couldn't do this with everyone, but one of the skills she had developed was the ability to reach in and manipulate the emotions of this race.

Ever since she had realised her opportunity, she had been to him at nights, been into his mind while his defences were down, and carefully intensified the anger, the rage, the jealousy, until it became to much to bear.

Without assistance, these useful emotions would have burnt themselves out much too soon, she had realised. She had been able to act quickly. Her plan was nearly complete.

She told him that she was the last of her race, a survivor of a war that had exterminated her kind from the universe.

To her surprise, he believed her. She had not realised that Picard had not told everyone exactly what they were dealing with.

Good.

That would make it far easier for her. She reached into his mind, felt the anger and bitterness there; she knew it would be soon. He was near breaking point.

Regitz felt even angrier as he watched Nechayev, as he heard her voice in his mind. Of course, he did not know exactly what had happened to her. He had been knocked unconscious by the anesthezine gas whilst the captain had been hunting her on Galorndon Core.

'What are you?' he asked. 'Why are you speaking to me?'

__

Why not you?

'Why am I so important?'

__

Why not you?

Regitz glared at her. 'Is that all you have to say?'

__

No. I have a lot to say. Nechayev's mouth smiled. _I do not think you will want to listen._

'I'm here. I'm listening.'

__

No, you are talking. There is a difference.

'Talk then.'

__

Why not you? Do you ask yourself that question?

'No.'

__

Yes, you do. It is there. At the top of your mind.

Regitz smiled slightly. 'What would I ask it about?'

__

That is obvious as well. The next word was hissed, sibilant, soft, sensuous. _Rosanna._

Of course, the name meant nothing to the Aralla. They were all vermin. But it was bothering the human before it. It could use that.

Regitz had stiffened slightly. 'That is not your concern.'

Nechayev moved closer to the forcefield separating them. _Why not?_

'That's a private matter.'

__

If it is a private matter, why is it at the top of your mind, where all can see it?

Regitz paused. 'I don't think I should be talking to you.'

__

You are probably right.

Regitz, without saying a word further, turned on his heel and left. Nechayev watched him go with a predatory gaze, and then turned and sat back on the bench calmly. It had learnt the virtue of patience. It had all the time in the world.

If it had pushed too hard, too soon, Regitz would have become suspicious. However, it knew that there was a weakness there. It would give way soon.

Regitz had been one of those rendered unconscious by the anesthezine during the hunt through the corridors of the _Enterprise_. He had not been made aware of the peculiar mind-link between Thames and Picard. Indeed, he had not known anything about the parasite inside Nechayev's body.

All he knew was the devouring anger.

All he felt was bitterness.

All he wanted was revenge.

'This is the USS _Enterprise_ on final docking approach.'

'Acknowledged. Welcome to _Deep Space Nine_, _Enterprise_.'

'Thank you, Ops.'

The _Enterprise_ settled next to one of the large upper docking pylons on the station. Ensign Truper guided it in perfectly. One of the docking tubes reached out and attached itself to one of the _Enterprise's_ docking hatches.

A moment later, Commander Riker stepped from the airlock to be greeted by Kira Nerys. 'It's good to see you, Commander,' she said warmly.

'You too, Major,' replied Riker.

She nodded, and then said, _sotto voce_, 'This is the first time I've seen the flagship of Starfleet relegated to passenger duty.'

'This is the first time that the captain of the aforementioned starship has been getting married, and inviting just about everyone in the quadrant as well,' replied Riker levelly.

Kira smiled. 'True. How long will you be staying?'

'Just long enough to pick up Miles, Keiko, Captain Sisko and Worf,' said Riker, glancing down the corridor. 'We've got to be at Vulcan in four days.

'Quark will be disappointed then,' said Kira wryly. 'He said that he had his Dabo tables all ready for you.'

'Tell him: next time.'

At that moment, Sisko came around the corner, carrying a small case. Behind him was Jake, his son. The captain and Riker shook hands warmly, and Sisko looked into the corridor beyond Riker. 'Special transportation,' he remarked.

'Captain Picard insisted that the _Enterprise_ be used to ferry the off-world guests,' said Riker. 'I was only too happy to oblige. Would you like to come aboard?'

'Certainly,' said Sisko, smiling. He walked past Riker, and then stopped allowing Jake to go past. He turned to face Kira. 'Look after the station for me, Major,' he said with a grin.

Kira nodded with a smile. 'I'll try, sir.'

Sisko nodded to her, and then vanished into the _Enterprise_. As he did so, Miles and Keiko O'Brien came rushing around the corner as well, followed by Worf and Jadzia. They were all hurriedly greeted by Riker, and then, after they had said their goodbyes to Nerys, they all boarded the _Enterprise_.

As the airlock slid shut, Kira watched the huge starship detach from the station, and recede into the distance.

Riker watched as the _Enterprise_ moved away from _Deep Space Nine_, and headed into deep space. He was flanked by Sisko, Worf, Jadzia Dax and Miles O'Brien. Riker turned to Sisko. 'Like the ship?'

'She's a beauty,' replied Sisko. O'Brien was still gazing around the bridge, looking amazed by what he saw, he and Dax the only two there who had not yet been onboard the _Enterprise_-_E_, in this universe or another.

'As the ranking officer,' said Riker with a grin, 'you have the authority to take the ship out, Captain Sisko.'

Sisko smiled. 'Thank you, commander.' He took the centre seat, and looked at Ensign Truper. 'Ensign, set course for Vulcan, warp eight.'

'Course plotted and laid in, Captain.'

'Engage.'

The _Enterprise_ paused a moment, and then, gathering itself, it leapt forward into warp speed.

Sturgess turned at the airlock, and looked sadly at Michael Regitz. 'Are you sure you're not coming, Michael?' she asked one last time.

And again, as he had all the other times she had asked, Regitz shook his head. 'No, Leanne. You go and enjoy yourself.'

Sturgess nodded sadly, and then, surprising both herself and Regitz, she leaned forward and kissed him gently. 'I love you,' she whispered, and then she was gone, leaving Regitz, stunned beyond anger and distress, staring at the closing airlock.

Nechayev had seen it all. She smiled, knowing that the weakness, the flaw, had just become a gaping breach.

Regitz was hers.

That evening, Regitz was on duty. He sat at the console, reading a report, but not taking it in. Every so often, he would glance at Nechayev, who was sat quietly on the bench in her cell.

Sturgess' announcement had shocked him. All this time he had been concentrating on Rosanna Thames and in truth, Leanne Sturgess had always been waiting for him.

He felt like a fool.

__

A fool.

His head jerked up and he stared right at Nechayev, who was stood staring at him from behind the forcefield. 'Have you been reading my mind?'

__

Yes. You broadcast your thoughts. Anyone could pick them up.

Regitz stood slowly, and approached the forcefield. 'What do you want?'

__

A chance. Nechayev stepped closer to the forcefield. _Just the chance to save my race. But also the chance to help you._

As Nechayev had known it would, this piqued his interest, although he tried hard not to show it. 'Help me? How?'

__

I can give you what you want. I can give you a way out.

'A way out from what?'

__

The problems you have. I can free you.

Regitz, battered mentally by years of indecision, and also reeling from two huge recent shocks to his mind, did not have the mental will to resist her any longer. Her persistent awakening and stimulating of his darker emotions, his anger, jealousy and bitterness, had allowed her to reshape his psychological makeup somewhat.

Although she did not directly control his mind, she knew all the correct buttons to press in order for her to be able to suggest things to him. He could not resist her any longer.

__

Free me.

Regitz, as if hypnotised, went around the console, and deactivated the forcefield.

Nechayev walked free.

He watched her step over the threshold and come towards him. _Thank you._

'You said you could –'

__

Free you. You have freed me. I will free you. Nechayev stepped closer to him, and took his head in her cool grip.

__

Close your eyes. He did.

The creature knew how. She moved forward, and gently planted her lips on his.

As he shuddered at the touch, she gripped the back of his neck in one hand, planted her other hand on his forehead, and gently, almost lovingly, broke his neck.

The life passed out of him quickly, with barely a sound. Feeling only the pleasure of a job well-done, Nechayev slowly lowered him to the deck. _Your reward._

Leaning down, she took his phaser from his holster, and set it to kill.

At that moment, another security guard walked through the door. Spotting instantly that the forcefield was down and Nechayev was free, he went for his phaser.

Coolly, Nechayev shot him, sending his body flying back into the bulkhead.

Stepping around the security console and over his dead body, Nechayev went to the weapons locker. Taking out a phaser rifle and another phaser, she wrapped a utility belt around her midriff and holstered the two smaller weapons. She hefted the rifle, and then, almost as an afterthought, set it to maximum.

She stepped out of the holding area, leaving only the two dead guards behind as proof that she had ever been there.

And outside, in the corridor, screams started. Followed by phaser fire.

The USS _Agamemnon_ came out of warp outside Mar's defence perimeter. Making her way quickly through it, the starship entered Earth's orbit ten minutes later.

Leanne Sturgess beamed down to Starfleet Headquarters soon after, still worried about Regitz. Her worries dissipated somewhat when Rosanna met her outside of the transport centre.

The two friends walked through Headquarters quickly, and caught an air tram to the Atlantic coast. Rosanna seemed even more excited and happy with her life. Sturgess really could not blame her. She was genuinely pleased for her friend, and told her so.

'Thanks, Leanne,' said Thames, smiling. 'I really appreciate you coming here for me.'

'Least I could do,' said Sturgess. Yeah, you haven't seen the wedding present yet!

Then came the question that Sturgess had feared might come. 'Where's Michael?'

Sturgess stalled desperately. 'Michael?'

'Yes, Michael Regitz. Number One on the "Leanne Sturgess Hit List"?'

Sturgess nearly blushed. Nearly, but not quite. She glanced down at the floor of the tram. 'He decided he couldn't come.'

Thames' expression changed to that of dismay. 'Why not?'

'He was very busy,' lied Sturgess ashamedly. 'He said that he would have loved to have come, but he couldn't take time out from his duties.'

'Oh,' said Thames, her voice crestfallen. 'I understand.'

Not the half of it, thought Sturgess, ashamed. Aloud, she said, 'I think he sends his best thoughts, Rosanna.'

Thames had half-turned away. 'Yes, I think so too.'

Picard turned as the door to his small house swung open. His face split in a broad smile. 'Marie!'

His sister-in-law smiled as he reached out and embraced her. 'I've come to see how you're settling in,' she said, as they stepped away again.

'I'm not used to spending much time planetside,' admitted Picard with a smile. 'But this is going to be mine and Rosanna's home.'

Marie nodded as she stepped forward into the small anteroom, and looked about approvingly. 'Very nice. Was it a bachelor pad?'

'No,' said Picard. 'It was a place that I had built after...'

'After Robert and René died,' supplied Marie, when she realised that Picard had stopped. 'Did you never think of coming and staying with me?'

Picard shrugged, and sat down. 'I always thought it would be inappropriate.'

Marie sat opposite him, legs crossed, her green eyes studying him. 'Robert always said that you would never get married. "That Jean-Luc; always got his head in the stars when the best things are right back here." Sound familiar?'

'That sounds very much like Robert,' said Picard quietly.

Marie leant forward slightly and her voice became intense. 'I haven't seen you since the funeral, Jean-Luc.' Picard looked away. 'Robert always said that you'd be there. Where the hell were you?'

'Busy,' said Picard shortly, unable to meet her eyes.

'Too busy to come back to Earth just once in three years?'

'It was hard!' exclaimed Picard angrily. 'Robert and René were extremely close to me.'

'Yeah,' said Marie. 'They were pretty damn close to me as well.' Her voice was low and bitter, surprising even herself in its intensity.

Picard stared at her for a moment, and then bowed his head. 'I'm sorry, Marie,' he said quietly, his voice full of pain. 'I just couldn't...'

His voice trailed off, and his shoulders slumped. Marie stopped herself from going to him, knowing what Jean-Luc was going through, but also knowing that he would have to solve this on his own.

'I never fully came to terms with Robert or René dying,' said Picard at last, still not looking at her. 'Especially not René. He was like a son to me. I could not face the prospect of coming back here and facing that.' He raised his head and Marie could see, with some astonishment, tears in his eyes. 'I would have done, of course, but there was always an excuse not to. The Borg, the Dominion –' He wiped his eyes. '- and then I met Rosanna. It was as if a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders.'

Marie forced a smile. In her sadness, she reflected, she had forgotten that others grieved for Robert and his son also. Jean-Luc had known Robert far longer than she had, and René had always been so excited to see his favourite uncle. It was not difficult to see why Jean-Luc had thought of René as his son.

Jean-Luc had fallen silent, shoulders slumped with the weight of the grief on them. Marie stood and knelt before him, trying to look into his eyes. 'Jean-Luc, I don't blame you. Hell, none of us could have been as shocked or hurt as you, Jean-Luc. I just wanted to know why...'

'And now you know,' whispered Picard.

Marie nodded slowly. 'I didn't come here to crucify you, Jean-Luc.'

'Funny. Seems that way to me,' said a voice. Marie turned to see Rosanna Thames stood in the doorway. 'What are you doing here?' Her voice was cold; she had never met Marie.

'I'm Jean-Luc's sister-in-law,' said Marie. At Thames' expression, she glanced at Picard and said, 'I'm sorry; I should leave.'

No,' said Picard, standing. Thames fixed a stare upon him, worry and concern evident in her gaze. 'It's okay,' he added. 'She's not doing anything wrong.' Picard forced a smile. 'In fact, it's probably the other way around.'

Marie and Thames both turned frowns upon him. Ignoring them, Picard turned to Marie. 'I would appreciate it if you stayed for dinner, Marie; if that's all right by you,' he hastily added, glancing at Thames.

'Well....' hedged Marie.

Thames turned her gaze onto Marie and nodded. 'I would appreciate an explanation, though,' she added.

Marie smiled gratefully. 'I would be happy to oblige.'

Now that the tension in the atmosphere had drained away, Picard looked at Thames. 'I thought you were meeting Lieutenant Sturgess,' he said, his tone questioning.

'She wanted to go and see her parents,' replied Thames. 'I decided to come back here.' She approached Picard and kissed him quickly.

'We have a meal to prepare.'

The _Enterprise_ slid into orbit of Earth silently, majestically. From Vulcan, it had visited Betazed to pick up Ambassador Troi and then made the relatively short trip to Earth.

Stood just behind Data, Will Riker watched as the blue globe they orbited turned slowly in the viewscreen and then turned to Hedly. 'Begin preparations for shore leave for all personnel. Make sure that they all know when the wedding is.'

Hedly nodded, smiling. 'Aye, sir.'

'I'm going to beam down with the first party to go,' said Riker. 'I want to visit the captain.'

'I think I'll go with you,' said Troi. 'I want to see if his mind's cleared up any further.'

'Purely for that reason?' asked Riker in mock incredulity.

'Absolutely,' said Troi defensively.

Riker favoured her with a sceptical look for a moment longer and then nodded. 'I'll see if Beverly wants to come as well –'

Troi cut him off. 'That's probably not a good idea, Will.'

Riker nodded slowly, not comprehending – and unwilling to get involved. 'Very well,' he said, making sure that his tone included a "Tell Me Later" cadence. Deanna picked it up, as she nodded slightly.

'We'll see you later,' said Riker to Data as he and the Counsellor headed for the turbolift. 'You have the bridge.'

The comm-unit buzzed. Picard answered the call. 'Will!'

Riker's face grinned at him. Behind him, Picard could tell that his first officer was in the transporter room of the _Enterprise_. 'What can I do for you?' said the captain of the _Enterprise_.

'We've just entered Earth orbit. Deanna and I were going to beam down and visit – unless that's an inconvenience.'

'No, Will,' said Picard amiably. 'We're just about to have supper. I'd be delighted for you to join us.'

'On our way,' said Will. 'Riker out.'

Picard switched off the comm-unit and walked into the kitchen. Thames was putting the finishing touches to a beautifully made lasagne. 'Where did you learn to cook like that?' asked Picard wonderingly. 'I barely know how to boil an egg.'

'My father taught me all the techniques. Being able to cook is always considered very important in my family.'

'You'll like Ben Sisko then. He's a chef as well. You can swap recipes.'

Thames threw a cloth at him. 'Get the table ready. It's nearly finished.'

Picard mock-saluted. 'Yes, sir.' He ducked through the door as Thames turned. On the way out he heard her light laughter. Outside he heard the transporter beam spring into life, announcing Riker and Deanna's arrival at the house.

All in all, he thought, life could not get any better.

The last flicker of phaser fire died away and Nechayev straightened from her crouch. Surveying the blackened and twisted bodies surrounding her, she nodded, satisfied, and holstered her phaser.

Security had responded quickly to the fighting that had begun in the Promenade section of the Starbase, but even they had been helpless against the parasite's onslaught. Nechayev had secured control very quickly and had proceeded to methodically and cruelly kill everyone there.

The base's commanders had swiftly locked down all of the computer systems in the section and sealed the airlocks, obviously intending to blow the airlocks out as soon as they were sure that was the final option.

That suited Nechayev fine.

Stepping into the main security office, she pulled the three corpses from the desk and dumped them on the ground. Unslinging the phaser rifle from her back, she laid it on the desk and sat down. The dark, locked down face of the computer stared mutely at her. A moment passed as she accessed the memories of the dead Admiral Nechayev, and then she punched in a sequence of commands. The computer bleeped for a moment and then the voice of the machine said, 'Access codes rejected.'

'Admiral Nechayev?' The voice of the base's commander, Admiral T'Valla, resounded through the Promenade. Nechayev remained silent. 'If you can hear me, your access codes have been revoked and your authorisation rescinded. Surrender now and you will not be harmed. You have five minutes to answer.'

Nechayev assimilated this information and then nodded as she decided what to do. She stepped around the desk towards the three bodies she had removed from the desk.

Nechayev stared for a moment at the body of one of the officers. Then she raised her hand and stretched it out before her. Her other hand gripped the skin around the wrist area and pulled sharply. With barely a sound, the skin tore away. Swiftly, she removed the skin covering the appendage to reveal a scaly, dark purple hand within.

The parasite was fully grown. There was nothing left of Admiral Alynna Nechayev except a wrapping of skin covering the body of the Aralla. The body of the host dictated somewhat the final shape of the Aralla parasite. Most Aralla, due to the size of the host body, would grow to seven or eight feet in height. This one, on the other hand, was a good deal shorter, fitting snugly within the skin of the Admiral.

It reached down and picked up the body of the officer and put her hand against his head. For a moment, it allowed the darkening thoughts of the dying mind to wash over it, the terror and the pain, sampling them and enjoying them for the brief entertainment they provided. Then, it sifted quickly through the emotions and feelings until it reached the memory portion of the brain.

This part of the brain, a huge storage area for the accumulated sights, sounds and smells of a human life, died last of all and what Nechayev was looking for was contained within this space.

Aralla telepathic invasion burned out the neurons and synapses of the brain in any race other than the Aralla, and as the creature searched hurriedly through the long-term storage, the brain's death accelerated behind it's passage.

Then, Nechayev found what it was looking for. The override codes for the main computer. Swiftly it memorised them and pulled free from the disintegrating brain.

Then, as the dead officer dropped to the floor, it stalked over to the dark computer console and punched in the codes. Swiftly, the computer authorised them and Nechayev brought the system on line. It knew that it had only brief moments to carry out its plan.

'Commander! The prisoner has broken into the main system from one of the security consoles on the Promenade!' The call made T'Valla, a Vulcan, turn to face one of the younger officers sat at the main computer terminal.

'Lock her out. She's obviously stolen the codes.'

The younger officer nodded and turned. Suddenly his face went pale. But, before he could turn and speak, everybody heard the dreaded words. The computer said, 'Airlocks opening.'

With a hiss of escaping air, the airlocks on either side of the room were running through their disengaging procedure. As everybody present realised his or her doom, the huge doors swung slowly open and a sudden gale swept through the room, buffeting them all violently.

As the young man clung on desperately, knowing it was already too late, he watched as, one by one, the command crew were swept out into space. With a last stabbing gesture, he activated the computer lock-outs – and lost his grip.

Tumbling along the floor, he heard one last sound: the computer's voice saying, 'Computer lock-out in progress.'

And then, with a scream, he fell from the door and into the vastness of space.

Nechayev watched silently, expressionlessly, as the personnel of the entire station tumbled from the airlocks, twisting and writhing through the inky blackness. It had not opened the airlocks on its own level, but only all others on every other level. She estimated that the entire crew of the Starbase would be dead in a matter of minutes.

Abruptly, the screen upon which her hand rested went black. Nechayev frowned down at it, but then it shrugged dismissively. It did not matter. Soon, the _Enterprise_ would come. Soon, she would have that ship in her grasp.

But more than that, she would have the key to Picard and his defeat.

Although the mission to bring the Aralla back through the gate was still the main priority, the Aralla now wanted blood and revenge. Picard was the first target, but to get to Picard, it had to first get to the thing that he needed.

The Aralla had sensed immediately the bond between Rosanna Thames and Jean-Luc Picard, and that, it knew, was the way it would destroy Picard, slowly and painfully. And then, there would be nothing to stop the Aralla.

Thames was the key to Picard's defeat.

The Aralla sat down. It had a long wait ahead.


	8. Imzadi

__

Chapter VIII

The April air shone with the light of the spring sun, and a light wind blew through the old churchyard, making the air clean and crisp. The ancient fourteenth century church, one of the few remaining on Earth, stood solitary in the midst of a garden bright with blossoming flowers and green trees casting leafy shadows onto the verdant grass underfoot.

White gloves and full dress uniform was the order of the day for the senior crew of the _Enterprise_. Riker surveyed the troops for the last time. 'Everybody sure about what they're doing?'

Hedly, Deanna, Data, Geordi and Beverly all nodded back at him. In addition to their dress uniforms, each had a long sword hung in a scabbard at their side. Riker nodded, and then noticed Deanna staring past his shoulder. He turned, to see Worf and O'Brien, stepping through the gate towards the small party. 'Mr. Worf! Chief!'

Although O'Brien wore full Starfleet dress uniform, Worf was dressed in full Klingon ceremonial regalia. No house symbols adorned the sash around his shoulders, as befitted his outcast status. Riker raised an eyebrow. 'You're out of uniform, Mr. Worf,' he jabbed.

'I'm off duty. Sir.' Worf added the honorific as an after-thought.

Riker grinned. 'It's certainly nice to see you all again,' he said. His face became serious. 'Honour guard duties,' he said abruptly. 'We're two men short.'

Worf looked past Riker's shoulder, looking at the line of that stood at the porch to the church. 'It appears, Commander, that you have –'

O'Brien nudged him quickly in the ribs. 'We'd be honoured to, sir.' His face fell. 'Only neither of us have a sword.'

Deanna had stepped up and brought a sword and pair of white gloves out from behind her back. 'It's a good job I brought these along then. I had a feeling they'd come in useful.'

O'Brien grinned as he took them from her. 'Thanks, Counsellor.'

Worf looked puzzled, but before he could say anything, Geordi handed him a bat'leth. 'I had this replicated before I left the _Enterprise_.'

'Gloves?' asked Riker.

'I am a Klingon –'

'Good point.' Deanna handed him a pair of heavy gauntlets. Worf smiled as he pulled them on and Riker shook his head in mock bewilderment.

'If we've all finished our fun and games,' said the first officer of the _Enterprise_, 'we have a wedding to prepare.'

Picard took the first air-tram from Paris to San Francisco. It was rather typical of Starfleet that, on his wedding day, he was having to present his report on the Admiral Nechayev disaster to them. In person.

The folder of paper, upon which all Starfleet official documents were to be written, rested on his knee as he stared from the window at the passing seascape. In a few minutes, he would arrive at San Francisco, present his report and then rush straight back to Paris for his wedding.

It was amazing, but he could still hear Rosanna's thoughts as clearly now, halfway across the Atlantic Ocean, as he could when lying next to her. The sensation of feeling another's presence in his mind was one that he had become so accustomed to that he sometimes forgot about it, thinking that it was perfectly normal for a human being to be able to hear her voice clear as if she were standing next to him.

Currently, she was agonising over her wedding dress. Again.

Picard shook his head slightly and glanced from the window. He had always loved the journey from Europe to the North American continent, passing over the Atlantic on its half-hour journey. But, other thoughts preoccupied him, and he had missed the greater part of the journey whilst he was concentrating on the report and his wording of what he believed had happened to Admiral Nechayev.

All of his beliefs, suppositions and intuition were exactly that – supposition. He had not ordered Beverly to perform any scans or exploratory operations, nor had he spoken directly to Nechayev. Then again, very few had. Data and a few Starfleet admirals were probably the only ones who had, and Data was probably the only one who had done so after the Aralla had fully taken control of Alynna's body.

Try as he might, Picard could not stop thinking about the horrific mutilation that the Aralla had inflicted upon Alynna's body. He could not stop wondering if the Aralla had performed those acts after or before Alynna's personality had died. If it had been after, then it would not be so bad. At least she would not have suffered too much, although the death she had was bad enough. If it had been before - Picard shuddered.

Beverly and Data had watched this process, and the remnants that were found on Galorndon Core by Riker's team had also spoken volumes. Beverly had explained that the Aralla had been growing into a mature version of the creatures that Picard had fought. As it spread throughout Nechayev's body, it had rejected those parts of the body it did not need any longer. First a digestive system, then lungs, and so on. It had simply forced the body to reject them. As far as she could tell, Beverly believed that there was merely a skeletal structure left, and certain interfacing organs that the Aralla required, such as the eyes. Certainly, there was no vestige of Admiral Alynna Nechayev, and even if there was, no human could survive for any length of time inside her ravaged body.

Picard glanced at the padd again and sighed.

The last few days had been so rushed and hectic and full of so many changes, twists and turns, he felt due for a little relaxation.

He glanced out of the window as he felt the tram begin to slow. They were passing over North American continent, approaching San Francisco. In a couple of minutes, they would stop at Starfleet Headquarters, and Picard would rush in, make his report, and rush out again, flying back across the Atlantic to get married.

At least his honeymoon was going to be four weeks of quiet on a planet far from the Cardassians, Klingons, Romulans, Dominion or any other problem area in this part of the galaxy. Just him and Thames, relaxing.

Picard grinned to himself. The galaxy wasn't that kind.

He walked up to the huge edifice that was Starfleet Command, feeling the familiar sensation of awe at the breathtaking sight before him, despite the fact that he had walked this particular road many times in his long Starfleet career.

The main foyer of the building was awash, as it was every other day, with people, some in Starfleet uniforms, most in civilian clothes. A large proportion of staff within Starfleet Command was civilian, until you got to the upper levels and the command sections, staffed totally by Starfleet officers.

Picard walked quickly through, embarrassed by the looks from all around him. People stopped, stared and pointed him out to their fellows. As Picard walked self-consciously towards the turbolift, he could feel the burning gazes of nearly fifty people turned on him.

He stood, waiting for the lift, muttering under his breath, trying to look happy and comfortable, 'Hurry up, please!'

He didn't dare turn around, for what he might see.

Finally, the lift doors opened, and he fled to its safety. 'Thirtieth floor,' he said, and the turbolift slid silently upwards, away from all those prying eyes.

Within a few seconds, the lift stopped, and Picard stepped out into the heart of Starfleet Command.

A huge map of the galaxy dominated one wall, with dozens of officers milling about it, and disappearing on errands into the corridors beyond. Computer consoles, communication centres, and all of the paraphernalia of an interstellar network of starships and Starbases around the Alpha and Beta Quadrants that defended and regulated the Federation and its affairs.

One that would fall before the Aralla, came the treacherous thought immediately behind. Picard ruthlessly suppressed it, and walked on. For the moment, the Aralla were not his concern, and indeed, never should be.

How ironic, he thought, to be in the centre of this information network, and to be the only person aware of the danger which lurked just on the other side of the Romulan Neutral Zone.

Picard walked through to the far side of the room, and arrived at the door of Admiral Kelner. He knocked, and then heard the command, 'Come in.'

Picard stepped through, and came to attention. 'Captain Jean-Luc Picard, reporting as ordered, sir.'

Kelner looked up at him, amusement written across his face. 'At ease, Captain.' He went on in a reproving tone, 'Jean-Luc, we've known each other for long enough for you not to do that.'

Picard smiled back. 'I'm anxious to get this out of the way, sir, with respect.'

Kelner nodded. 'Sit down, Jean-Luc, this won't take long.'

Picard did so, and Kelner looked at him for a moment. It never failed to amuse him that he was a superior officer to Jean-Luc Picard, a man who considered the greatest man to ever wear the Starfleet uniform, and it was even funnier that Picard had been so formal on coming through the door. 'I'd like to apologise for not being able to come to the wedding,' Kelner began. 'I'd love to be there, but I drew the short straw. One flag officer on duty at all times.'

Picard nodded graciously. 'It's not a problem, Admiral. It seems as if the whole of the Admiralty is coming.'

'Just about,' said Kelner. He glanced at the padd. 'Your report on Admiral Nechayev's actions will be most interesting to Starfleet, Jean-Luc. It seems such a shame that she turned out to be a traitor.'

'She wasn't, sir,' interjected Picard. 'Admiral Nechayev died a long time ago. It's all in my report, but I would like it clear that I don't consider Admiral Nechayev to have ever been a willing accomplice in the actions of the parasite.'

'Parasite?' echoed Kelner, jumping on the word.

Picard winced, not having intended to give away that information yet. 'My report states that I have cause to believe that Admiral Nechayev's actions were influenced by the invasion of a neural parasite into her body, a parasite which destroyed first her mind and personality, and then her internal bodily structure.'

'What gave you that idea?'

'Er....' Picard faltered. Up until now, he had no concrete evidence that Nechayev had been possessed by an Aralla parasite, only a gut feeling, and a knowledge of the events from the Aralla War all being tied together.

Kelner observed him closely. 'Jean-Luc? I need something to give the Admiralty.'

'I know,' said Picard, 'but I can't tell you. It would be dangerous.'

'Dangerous,' said Kelner flatly. 'How so?'

'It might damage the timeline.'

Kelner bowed his head and slumped back in his chair. 'Damn! I hate these sort of problems!'

Picard nodded understandingly. 'I have recorded the information in Starfleet Archives, to not be accessed for a century – Captain's privilege.'

Kelner nodded, not looking at Picard. 'What exactly have you put in your mission report?'

'Only the exact events that occurred in the search for Alynna and her capture. I have not speculated as to the nature of her treachery, and I have not included my own suspicions. I expect, however, Starfleet Medical will confirm what I believe about her.'

'Which is?' probed Kelner.

Picard suddenly found that he could not hold the information back. If he did so, he felt that he would not be doing his duty as a Starfleet officer. He was also beginning to experience doubt over whether or not to tell Starfleet about his experiences in the alternate reality. He stared straight at Kelner. 'Admiral, seal the doors.'

Kelner frowned, nonplussed. 'Why?'

'What I'm about to tell you must not leave this room. It is the true reason for Admiral Nechayev's treachery, my beliefs as to her reasons for doing so, and even the reasons for my own marriage.'

Kelner's face took on a worried expression, but he did as Picard asked. 'Okay, the room's sealed. Tell me everything.'

And Picard told him.

Thames glanced down. 'Finished?'

Her mother took a pair of pins from her mouth and looked reproachfully at her daughter, but it was a reproach that held the warmth of good humour. 'I will be if you stop moving about.' She bent down to complete work on the wedding dress while Thames made a playful face at Leanne Sturgess, one of her bridesmaids. Sturgess grinned back.

The dress had been made over the last four days by Thames' mother, who also worked as a dressmaker for those who preferred the old-fashioned style, and Thames aimed to stun Picard, who was one for the old-fashioned. It was one of the myriad reasons she loved him.

Even now, in the back of her mind, she could hear his thoughts, which was still quite a unusual sensation. His thoughts were calm, but if she concentrated, she could hear his voice giving those thoughts air –

__

Darkness surrounded the Enterpris_e – fires and explosions the only thing that disturbed the black of the Aralla ships._

Phasers lanced out, striking green shields, shields that would not fall, would never weaken, even as the huge vessels swept past, to all sides of the immense, yet redundant, fleet.

Behind them rested the bright blue orb of the heart of the Federation – and surrounding it, the black plague that would stop that heart beating.

And then the heart fought back.

Photon torpedoes and phaser beams rocketed from the surface, swept towards the fighting ships –

And exploded against the shields of those dying to defend it. The defeat was complete. Treachery had condemned Earth to death – 

Thames stumbled and almost fell before her mother caught her, steadying her. 'Rosanna?' she said. 'What's the matter?'

Thames stared blankly into space, remembering the darkness. 'I don't know.'

Kelner stared at Picard as the older man came to the end of his long, dark tale.

As Picard finished, Kelner stood, and took a look out at the bright sky beyond his window. 'And you say that one of these... Aralla has taken over Admiral Nechayev's body?' At Picard's nod, Kelner sighed. 'I would ask any other person for verification, Jean-Luc, you do realise that?'

Picard nodded silently. Kelner continued, 'However, it is you, and where Q is concerned, little is certain. Do you feel that there is any need for alarm in Starfleet over this threat?'

Picard shook his head. 'The Aralla are on the other side of the dimensional barrier in the Romulan Neutral Zone. As far as I know, the only one of them in this universe is the one that possesses Admiral Nechayev. Besides, Q informed me that the Aralla fleet that rested on the other side of the gateway was destroyed shortly after their invasion force came through the rift.'

Kelner nodded and sighed. 'I will forget what you've told me, Jean-Luc. I will not inform anyone inside or outside Starfleet as to what you have told me, unless I feel that it is in the best interests of the Federation.'

Picard felt as though a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Telling Kelner the long story had brought back many terrible memories, ones that still left an indelible mark on his soul. 'Sir, I request that I am informed immediately if any threat resembling the Aralla is ever seen while I command a starship.'

Kelner nodded. 'I would do that immediately, Jean-Luc.' His mood lightened. 'And now, Captain, I feel that we have finished our conversation. Dismissed. Go and get married.'

Picard smiled, the darkness lifting from his soul. 'Aye, sir.'

It was half an hour before the wedding, and guests were starting to arrive. Data and Troi stood at the lintel gate, ushering people in quietly. Ambassador Troi stepped up to the gate, her manservant, Mr Homn, at her side as always. Deanna assumed a slightly confrontational stance as she always did with her mother.

Lwaxana smiled at her daughter. 'Hello, child,' she said.

'Hello, mother,' replied Deanna cordially. A slight grin appeared. 'Bride or groom?'

'Oh, groom, of course,' said the elder Troi. She sighed. 'It's such a shame that wonderful Jean-Luc is getting married to someone now, of all times – especially when it could have been me.'

Troi narrowed her eyes, and was about to make an acid reply when Riker drew up alongside. 'Ah, Ambassador Troi.' The rakish grin that transformed his features into those of a heroic pirate appeared on his face.

Lwaxana turned, managing to twirl somewhat. 'Commander Riker!' she gushed.

'Allow me to escort you inside, Ambassador,' said the first officer, offering his arm gallantly. Troi's mother took it and Riker whisked her off.

As he did so, he threw a glance back over his shoulder at the younger Troi that said, I expect payment for this favour.

Troi smiled sweetly at him and turned – 

And found herself staring into the eyes of Ambassador Spock.

She gaped in mute surprise for a moment, before recovering her poise. 'Ambassador! We weren't expecting you. Welcome.'

Spock inclined his head. 'Thank you, Counsellor Troi. Captain Picard invited me.'

Troi nodded. 'We could have picked you up from Vulcan –'

'I came direct from Romulus,' said Spock, cutting her off. He turned sad eyes on the Counsellor. 'Picard is a very important person,' he added quietly. 'This is an important time for him.'

Troi frowned at him. 'How do you mean?'

Spock merely gazed steadfastly at her, and Troi realised, as had others around the reclusive Vulcan, that Spock had secrets that no-one would never know. 'Bride or groom?'

Picard hurried down the aisle of the church and exchanged a few words with Fleet Admiral Drayton, the Starfleet Chief-of-Staff, and also the man who would be conducting the wedding ceremony. Then he checked his pockets.

To the onlookers, he appeared to panic slightly, before Riker came up to him. 'Sir?'

'The ring,' hissed Picard. 'Where the hell is it?'

Riker sighed and opened his hand. 'I've got it, sir.'

Picard stared at it, and then looked at Riker. The look of embarrassment nearly made Riker laugh out loud. 'Sir, calm down.'

'I know, I know,' said Picard, flustered. 'I just feel a little... nervous.'

Riker raised an eyebrow. 'On your wedding day? Surely not?' Picard fixed him with a glare.

'Next time I get married,' said Picard with a grin, 'remind me not to have a traditional wedding.'

Riker returned the smile. 'Talk to your bride about that.'

Picard checked his chronometer. 'Five minutes.'

And the trot of hooves could be heard outside.

Troi and Data watched as the carriage pulled up, and waited until Rosanna's father stepped from the carriage, followed by her mother. They ducked inside the church.

Rosanna Thames got out of the carriage, followed by her sister and Leanne Sturgess, her bridesmaids. The long trail of white silk flowing from the back of the dress was picked up and suspended by her two friends. Thames' mother kissed her daughter on the cheek, wiping away a happy tear as she did so. 'I love you,' she whispered.

'I know,' said Thames quietly, returning the kiss and hugging her mother for a moment. Finally, her mother pulled away.

'I'd better get in,' she said. 'They're waiting.'

Thames watched as her mother entered the church, and then took a deep breath. She gazed at her father. 'Let's go.'

Picard felt his breathing speed up as he spotted Thames' mother enter the church and smile at him. She hurried to her place and sat down. As she did so, Picard heard Riker mutter, 'Showtime.'

As he did so, the organ that rested in the corner struck up with "Here Comes The Bride," and Picard turned, facing the altar before him. Behind him, he could hear the slow, stately steps of the wedding party, advancing up the aisle, behind him, drawing closer as the music drew to a close –

He could not help it. Picard stole a glance backwards – and his heart skipped a beat. He felt it.

A radiance in white walked slowly towards him. A veil covering her face, regal bearing in every step, Rosanna Thames drew up alongside him. She lifted the veil slowly, revealing her face, more beautiful than anything Picard had ever seen, and smiled gently at him.

Pure love was contained in that smile, one which bathed Picard in light and beauty. When the music stopped, it seemed as if, for a brief, perfect, moment, there was nothing in the universe except she and he.

This was perfection. This was true love, beyond anything physical.

__

Imzadi.

As if in a dream, Picard turned at the sound of Admiral Drayton's voice. 'We are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in matrimony. If any man knows any just impediment for why these two may not marry, let him speak now or forever hold his peace.'

There was a silence, and Picard realised that he had held his breath for a brief, insane moment. He felt Thames' amusement in the back of his mind, and he stole a quick glance at her. She wore a faint smile, but did not look at him.

Drayton looked at the two. 'Rosanna Thames, do you take this man, Jean-Luc Picard, to be your husband? Will you honour and protect him, love him and keep him, in sickness and health, 'till death does you part?'

'I do,' said Thames.

Drayton turned his gaze onto Picard. 'Jean-Luc Picard, do you take this woman, Rosanna Thames, to be your wife? Will you honour and protect her, love her and keep her, in sickness and in health, 'till death does you part?'

Picard gazed into Thames' eyes as he took her hand. 'I do.'

'Do you have the ring?'

Riker, the best man, handed the ring to Picard, who gently slipped it onto Thames' finger. Drayton continued, 'Rosanna Thames, Jean-Luc Picard, the ring is the symbol of eternity. Do you affirm your love for each other, now and forever, before these witnesses, and forsaking all others, promise to love and cherish each other from now until the day you shall die, for richer or poorer, better or worse, forever?'

In perfect unison, Thames and Picard answered, 'Yes.'

If Drayton was surprised, he didn't show it. 'Then, I pronounce you husband and wife.' He glanced at Picard. 'You may kiss the bride.'

Picard leant forward, and gently, as if she were a fragile delicate object, pressed his lips to hers. As he did so, Thames returned the kiss, until they moved deeper together, united at last, two become one.

And Deanna Troi, the architect of this, wiped away a happy tear.

'_Honour guard, present arms!'_ Riker's shout was immediately followed by the metallic sounds of seven swords and one bat'leth being unsheathed, and held in an arch over the happy couple, Jean-Luc Picard and Rosanna Thames-Picard, as they left the church, whilst, above, the bells in the belfry rang out their happy song.

Confetti showered them, as Picard and Thames smiled for the holo-photos. Jake Sisko collected two of the photographs for official use, and held a brief interview with the couple as a Federation news cameraman recorded.

Finally, however, it was time for the newly-weds to leave. Their runabout was waiting in orbit to take them to their honeymoon planet, Betazed. Slowly, they said their goodbyes.

Riker shook Picard's hand, smiling broadly. Picard looked up at his first officer. 'Will, you don't know what you've meant to me over the years. I'm glad you could be my best man.'

Riker nodded, still smiling. 'It was, as always an honour.'

Ben Sisko now stepped towards Picard. 'Jean-Luc, I know we've had our differences, but I just want to say that I'm very happy for you.' A snatch of memory entered his mind. 'Mind you, I have seen this all before.'

Picard stared blankly at him, and then realised. 'Nice to be able to do it twice.'

They laughed, and then Thames came up to them. 'We'd better go, Jean-Luc,' she said.

Picard nodded silently, and glanced at the happy faces surrounding them. 'On behalf of myself and Rosanna, I want to thank you all for coming. It has been the happiest day of my life, and I am glad that you have been able to contribute to that. Thank you.'

A small portable transporter pad had been set up for the happy couple, and as Picard and Thames stepped up onto it, O'Brien activated the padd that controlled the transporter. The happy couple took the view of the happy faces into their minds, and then Picard said, 'Mr O'Brien, energise.'

Thames and Picard swirled into energy and vanished. The crowd of people began to break up. The _Enterprise_ crew itself had been granted extended shore leave before they left to pick up the security team on Starbase 629.

Riker glanced at Troi as the party began to disperse. 'Well, Counsellor, I would declare that our work has been a success.'

Troi nodded, her face delighted. 'I'd have to agree, Commander.'

Riker held out a hand. 'Shall we depart?'

Troi smiled at him and put her hand in his. 'With pleasure.'

Picard set the course on the runabout as Thames activated the engines. 'Are we ready to go, _madam_?'

Thames smiled rapturously at him. 'When you say the word, Captain.'

Picard activated the engines and turned the runabout away from the Earth.

The USS _Missouri_, loaned to them by Captain Sisko, turned smoothly from Earth and accelerated into warp speed.

Picard activated the autopilot, and sat back. He looked across at his new wife, and reached out and took her hand. 'Four days to Betazed,' he said quietly.

Thames smiled at him. 'Jean-Luc, I've been meaning to tell you, but I never found the right moment.'

Picard frowned slightly. He moved to her side, kneeling next to her, looking up at her face. 'What is it?'

Thames paused, and took a breath. 'Jean-Luc, I'm pregnant.'

Picard stared at her in stunned, delighted silence. He reached out and gently touched her stomach. 'My god....' he whispered, utterly entranced by something he had never before realised he had.

He turned and looked at her, feeling joy and rapture swell as one in his heart. 'It's too much,' he whispered. 'All too much....'

Thames stared at him, concerned. She had not expected him to react like this. 'What?'

'Our wedding, our love, our bond – and now this,' said Picard, tears in his eyes. 'When René died, two years ago, I felt as if something inside me had died. I never realised what it was.'

'What was it?' asked Thames, tenderly.

'My hope for the future. I thought I had nothing more to live for....' Picard smiled at her, making her understand, through their link, the pain and anguish that he had felt when his brother and nephew had died. Thames' eyes filled with sadness at his pain, and she rested her hand on his. Picard kissed her hand gently, affectionately. 'I want to thank you, for giving me the most precious gift I have ever been given,' he said.

'The future.'

Admiral Kelner swore as he watched the logs of Starbase 629. He watched as the entire crew of the Starbase fell into space, twisting in the vacuum until they died. He glanced up at his aide. 'All by herself?'

'Yes, sir. She depressurised the entire starbase, according to the emergency beacon's logs, killing all onboard. Fortunately, Admiral T'Valla managed to lock out the computer before she died, and so Admiral Nechayev has no way of leaving the starbase.'

Kelner nodded. He stared silently at the blank screen for the moment. 'What's the closest starship to Starbase 629?'

'There isn't one closer than three sectors away, sir. The assigned ship was the USS _Enterprise_, going to retrieve her security crew from there, handing over to Starfleet Intelligence. If you want, I can –'

'No, not the _Enterprise_,' said Kelner. 'Picard's just gone on honeymoon, and the senior crew's on extended leave. The _Spirit's_ in orbit, isn't it?'

Lieutenant Young, the aide, checked his padd, and then nodded. 'Yes, sir.'

'Get me Captain Corl.'

The stocky Bolian nodded as Kelner explained the situation quickly. 'I want you to get onto Starbase 629 and incapacitate Admiral Nechayev, using any means necessary. You have permission to kill her as a last resort.'

Corl nodded again, not showing a flicker of surprise at the unusual order. 'Yes, sir. My security teams will despatch her as soon as we go onboard.'

Kelner smiled grimly. 'You may find it a lot more difficult than that, Captain. Captain Picard's team consisted of nearly fifty guards, including Picard's chief of security. He lost more than half that force before Admiral Nechayev was finally hunted down. I'll be sending one of that team to the _Spirit_ before you leave. She has experience with this situation, and I want her to lead the effort.'

'Very good, sir,' said Corl. 'Who is she?'

'Lieutenant Leanne Sturgess,' said Kelner, 'I want you to go with the USS _Spirit_ to Starbase 629.'

Sturgess, standing before his desk, looked shocked. 'Is it to do with Admiral Nechayev, sir?'

Kelner nodded gravely. 'It is. She has escaped from captivity, and killed everyone onboard the Starbase.'

Sturgess felt her heart give a lurch, and she knew at that moment that Michael Regitz was dead. 'Aye, sir,' she managed. 'Orders?'

'Captain Corl will give you his deployment and attack orders. I want you to take command of the security force, Lieutenant. They don't know what they're dealing with.'

'That's right, sir. Admiral Nechayev is deadly,' agreed Sturgess faintly.

Kelner looked at her, concerned. 'Is everything all right, Lieutenant?' he asked.

Sturgess shook her head. 'I had several friends in that security force, sir,' she said. 'I fear that they may all be dead.'

Kelner nodded understandingly. 'If you want me to take you off the team –'

'No, sir, that won't be necessary,' Leanne said firmly. 'I want to find out what has happened to them. Admiral Nechayev needs to be brought to book, sir,' she added.

Kelner nodded. 'Good. Report to the _Spirit_ immediately, Lieutenant. You're dismissed.'

Sturgess nodded and left.

Kelner turned his cold stare onto the logs from Starbase 629. 'You were right, Jean-Luc,' he whispered. 'They are _very_ dangerous.'


	9. The Spirit

__

Chapter IX

The USS _Spirit_ reached Starbase 629 after five days of travel.

As the _Nebula_-class starship slid into orbit of the space station, Leanne Sturgess briefed the thirty-man security team on what they would expect.

'Have any of you met Admiral Nechayev?' she asked. Two of the officers present, both Lieutenants, held up their hands for a moment. Leanne nodded. 'Admiral Nechayev will not be anything like you have ever seen before, count on it. When and if you come face to face with her, you will be required to shoot her down instantly. Any hesitation, and you will die. Count on that as well.'

Sturgess had the satisfaction of seeing a few of the team grow pale. 'You will have phaser rifles set to stun. At any moment, I may give the order to activate the kill setting on your weapons. Do not do so before you are ordered. Of course, with the computer locked down, we cannot do so. Team three's first objective is to disable the lock-outs and give us that setting on our phasers.' Sturgess paused. The Admiral will almost certainly have set a number of traps – be careful. She used phaser sentries aboard the _Enterprise_ – expect worse here.

'If you encounter any survivors, any at all, check the back of their necks. If there is a small protrusion above the skin, stun them immediately, and take them back to the beam-out site. Do not lose sight of your partners, and keep in cover at all times. The Admiral does not have our compunction about killing.

'Check each body you find, but don't take any unnecessary risks – don't shout, call or give away your position at any time. If you see Admiral Nechayev, then contact everybody using commbadges on secure frequency – you'll receive that later.'

Leanne gave everybody a slightly softer look. 'Nechayev's good, but if we're careful, we'll take her down. Good luck. Beam-out in ten minutes.'

Ten glittering beams of energy formed in the darkness of the Promenade of Starbase 629, and vanished, leaving ten security guards, led by Sturgess, in their place. Immediately, they split up and vanished into the shadows, awaiting the next group.

The first thing Sturgess noted were the bodies laid on the deck. Some were in various states of decomposition, while others were so blackened and burned that it was difficult to tell if that had happened before or after death. Even after what she had already seen inflicted by Nechayev, she was sickened. 

As the second team beamed in, Sturgess motioned for two of her team to stay and provide cover, while she and the others advanced silently, weapons raised, alert for any danger. As they passed a body, they would check futilely for signs of life.

They had beamed in fairly close to the security office, and Sturgess decided to head for it. She covered her partner, who dashed forward and dropped behind a tall pillar, and then Sturgess herself moved quickly, past the pillar, and into cover of the arch of the security door that marked the entrance to the office.

She stood, phaser pressed against her body, and counted to three. Then, she ducked in, weapon ready.

Admiral Nechayev sat, staring at her, from within the confines of the security cell. Sturgess stopped, stunned by her appearance, and nearly raised the rifle and fired on her.

No forcefield shimmered between her and the Admiral, who watched Sturgess intently, with no change of emotion. Sturgess tapped her commbadge. 'Sturgess to team one. I've found her. Report to the security office immediately.'

There was an answering acknowledgement, and a moment later, the others came through the door. Sturgess motioned for them to keep their weapons ready, trained on Nechayev, who had still not moved. However, Sturgess was filled with greater concern for Michael Regitz.

The security office, unlike many others, was laid out so that the main office itself had to be reached by going through the cell areas first. Sturgess headed through the door that led to the main office now – and stopped dead, her grim determination fading into despair at the tragic sight before her.

Regitz lay in the position that he had been left in nearly a week before. His head lolled ungracefully to the side; evidence, if Sturgess needed anymore, that his neck was broken and he was very dead. Near him, another body, someone that Sturgess did not know but also wore security gold on his collar.

Sturgess fought back the tears that flowed from her eyes, feeling her heart harden as she turned away from the body of the man she had loved.

As she did so, a shimmer of golden light in the security cell area caught her eye as it died away. She stared for a brief second, and then hurried through the door again.

She was staggered by the sight that greeted her, and for a moment, she could not believe that it had actually happened. Nechayev had disappeared, and the nine security officers that had guarded the former admiral had also vanished.

Sturgess let her rifle down, stunned amazement filling her mind, unable to believe. She tapped her commbadge after a second. 'Sturgess to _Spirit_. Have you beamed anyone onboard?'

'No, Lieutenant,' answered Corl's voice immediately. 'Why?'

'I'll get back to you on that, _Spirit_,' said Sturgess. 'Stand by.'

Sturgess tapped her badge again. 'Sturgess to team two. Any sightings of the Admiral?'

'None, sir,' replied her number two, Lieutenant Strell. 'How about yourself?'

'We had her penned up in the security office.' Sturgess took a deep breath. 'She's escaped, and I think she's killed my security team.'

There was an intake of breath on Strell's end of the link. 'Damn.'

'I want you to keep your eyes open. Keep weapons on stun.'

'Will do. What about your side?'

'I'll meet you at the Promenade turbolift in five minutes. Sturgess out.'

Sturgess took one glance around the office, noting the small play of light in the corner of the room -

She threw herself to the floor as a beam of golden energy flashed over her head and exploded in sparks against the door behind her. She rolled, brought her rifle up and fired.

The small black shape that had suddenly materialised on the wall exploded, and fell, clattering to the deck. Sturgess did not move for a moment as she checked the rest of the room for more hidden booby traps.

When no more appeared, she got to her feet, and stepped over to where the small blob of melted metal lay. As she had suspected, it was an automatic phaser sentry. She picked it up from the floor.

She stepped out of the security office, scanning the Promenade. Ducking into cover, she swiftly made her way to the turbolift to her left. Stood at the door was Strell's team, all looking around warily, as Strell stepped towards her, looking slightly worried. Despite the fact that the expression was one that Strell always seemed to wear anyway, Sturgess appreciated the fact that Strell had been shaken by her news.

'What happened?' asked the other. Sturgess proceeded to tell him exactly what had transpired. As she drew to the end of her short story, she displayed the phaser sentry that Nechayev had used, and Strell took it, examining it professionally. As an expert in firearms, she knew he would be instantly able to identify it.

'Klingon phaser sentry,' said Strell immediately. 'Standard model. However, it's been modified.' He drew Sturgess' attention to a series of tiny controls on the side that had been left undamaged by phaser fire. 'This is a micro-cloaking device, designed to render the unit invisible until it fires.'

'I wondered why my team never saw it.'

'That's only a little part of the ingenuity,' said Strell, sounding almost excited. 'This section –' He indicated a part of the control panel '- this is a holo-imager and projector. Designed to project a false holographic image up to ten metres in order to confuse the enemy. Also, this little beauty is connected to the main computer.'

'What? How? The computer's still locked down –' Sturgess broke off as a horrified thought occurred to her. She hit her commbadge. 'Sturgess to Lieutenant Carstairs!'

The leader of team three answered immediately. 'Carstairs here.'

'Have you unlocked the computer yet?'

'Not quite, Lieutenant. We're in the infirmary –'

'Don't touch the computer! Don't reactivate it! Get your team into the Promenade and await further orders!' The barked commands from Sturgess surprised Strell.

'Understood,' replied Carstairs, his voice a little stunned. 'We'll assemble outside the security office.'

'Keep in cover. Sturgess out.' The lieutenant turned to Strell, who favoured her with a quizzical stare. 'The phaser sentries are connected to the main computer, but the computer is locked out.'

Strell nodded. 'It effectively renders the sentries useless. They can't be activated until the computer... becomes... active....' His voice trailed away as he realised what he was saying. Sturgess nodded grimly.

'I'm willing to bet that those sentries were programmed to fire as soon as the computer went online again. Not only that, they were probably positioned so that they could cover the entire Promenade with a single wide-angle burst of fire. They might have wiped us all out with a single shot.'

Strell blinked slightly as the security team behind him muttered to each other as they took in the dreadful implications of the plan. 'Brilliant,' murmured Strell.

'That's one word for it,' remarked Sturgess. 'She's obviously watching us, though.'

'How do you know?'

'She must be. The sentry in the security office was also connected to the computer, but it fired prematurely. She must have triggered it manually – and the only way she knew if she had a clear target was if she was watching us.'

Strell nodded. 'What are your plans?'

Sturgess glanced at the security office. 'We'll meet up with team three, and I'll explain my idea there –'

'Open fire!' Ten phaser blasts sizzled almost simultaneously into the bulkheads on the upper tier of the Promenade, aimed from the direction of the security office. An explosion billowed out, but failed to punch through one of the portholes dotted along that section of the outer hull.

'_Cease fire!'_ screamed Sturgess over the sudden noise. 'Hold your fire!'

She charged to the security office, hoping that Nechayev wasn't watching at that moment. She reached the cover of the door, faced by Carstairs and his team. The young lieutenant turned to face Sturgess, his face perturbed.

'Sir, we had a clear shot at the Admiral,' said Carstairs. 'I decided –'

'Where the hell is she?' said Sturgess, her face flushed with anger. Carstairs looked up at the upper tier of the Promenade, and his face became stunned. He faced Sturgess again.

'She was there, Lieutenant! I swear –'

'Don't worry,' said Sturgess, calming herself, angry at herself for losing her cool. 'You made the wrong decision, but you're not the first.' She glanced up at the scarred bulkhead, and suddenly realised how close they had been to breaching the hull of the Starbase. Almost certainly part of Nechayev's plan.

Sturgess turned and motioned for Strell and team two to join them. When they did so, always wary, looking out for attack, Sturgess addressed them all quietly.

'I want to split us up into groups again, but we're going to go about this a little differently. At the moment, Admiral Nechayev holds home advantage – she's got cloaked phaser sentries all over the place, all equipped with mini holo-imagers. That's why we've been chasing shadows – she's projecting images of herself and hoping we'll fire on them. She's also watching us from a high position, which makes it likely that she can track all of our movements with a good field of fire.'

'So what's the plan?' asked Carstairs.

'We have to hunt down and eliminate each one of those phaser sentries. After we finish that, we can begin looking for Nechayev. The Promenade isn't a huge place, so we ought to be able to cover the entire area and knock out each one. You're looking for a small shimmer of yellow light, a little like a transporter beam. The second you see one, fire a single shot into it. That will be enough to destroy it. Don't just look on the walls – they could be everywhere; on the ceiling, floors and even in the middle of a porthole. If that's the case, get into cover and alert us all to its presence – I don't want to risk depressurising the Promenade.'

'What if we see Admiral Nechayev?' asked one of the ensigns from group three.

'Admiral Nechayev will almost certainly not expose herself unless she is either in danger of being uncovered, or unless we find all of the sentries. If she projects an image, fire a single shot into it – that will disperse the holomatrix. If she is really there, then you will only get one shot – make it count. Understood?'

One by one, her team nodded. Sturgess smiled slightly, trying to encourage them, knowing that some of them might die because of what she asked them to do. 'One last thing,' she said. 'Set phasers to kill. Program in override alpha-9-epsilon-Sturgess as the code to unlock the setting, and set for maximum.'

They all did so, rewarded by a small hum of extra power as the phaser rifles funnelled extra energy to the power cells. Sturgess lifted her rifle. 'Strell, Carstairs, divide each team into three teams of three people. Then, you come with me.'

The other two group commanders swiftly created six groups, and then formed a seventh with Sturgess. Then, quietly, professionally, they moved out.

Three groups filed slowly and carefully up the staircases to the upper levels of the Promenade, while three others searched the rooms and corridors leading from the lower of level. Sturgess' group worked along the main section of the Promenade.

Almost immediately, the first burst of phaser fire was heard. A small explosion billowed out from the wall as a member of Carstairs' team vaporised a sentry. A moment later, a series of phaser volleys rang out as a short-lived firefight broke out between a pair of sentries and Strell's group. One of the guards fell, but the sentries were destroyed.

The clearing out operation continued apace, but Sturgess herself was more concerned with finding Nechayev. She had a score to settle.

She kept her eyes open for phaser sentries as well, of course, but also for movement in the girders above the main deck –

The beam, when it came, was from a totally unexpected angle. A green line of energy flashed across the Promenade from the lower sections, and vaporised a young guard who didn't even scream. Before Sturgess and her teams could take cover, another blast killed Carstairs.

With a shout, Sturgess fired a return blast into the darkness, motioning for her teams to take cover. No more energy blasts flashed towards them and Sturgess managed to get herself into cover. She peered into the inky blackness that covered one of the main doors into the airless areas of the station. 'What is she doing?' she muttered to herself.

Another volley of shots rang out, followed by a crack. Sturgess' commbadge bleeped. She tapped it. 'Sturgess here.'

'Lieutenant, we've cleared the upper deck of phaser sentries.'

'Any casualties?'

'Ensign Torres was killed, and we've had a couple of near misses.'

Sturgess nodded. 'Good work. Assist in clearing the lower deck.'

'Yes, sir.'

Sturgess turned her attention to the darkness before. 'Did you hear that, Admiral? We're clearing your phaser traps. Come out and surrender.'

There was, as she expected, no answer. Sturgess peered further into the shadows before her. There was no movement. Taking a calculated risk, she shone a light beam into the darkness. There was no-one there, but she could see a small black shape on the floor. Sturgess sighed, stood and stepped over to it, picking it up.

As she had suspected it was another phaser sentry. She had obviously caught it with the shot she had fired at random. She threw it to the floor in momentary anger. Tapping her commbadge, she said, 'Sturgess to Strell.'

'Strell here.'

'How many phaser sentries are you confident that you've destroyed?'

'My team has cleared the entire upper section and most of the ones hidden underneath arches and overhangs. I would suspect that we have cleared ninety percent of them.'

'All right,' said Sturgess. 'Have the full force assemble on the upper deck. I'll meet you there.'

Slowly, Sturgess made her way to the stairs and up them to the deck above. She kept her eyes out for Nechayev, who could spring at any moment.

Strell approached her from the other side of the Promenade. 'What is it, Lieutenant?'

'We've cleared most of the sentries, but she still hasn't come out of hiding. At the moment, we're completely in the dark. I'm going to get the _Spirit_ to do a full scan and flush her out.'

Strell nodded. 'A wise choice.'

Sturgess shrugged. 'Not really. I should have done it the moment we beamed onboard, but my thoughts were so wrapped up in what had happened to my friends that I failed to see the right choice.' She tapped her badge. 'Sturgess to _Spirit_.'

'_Spirit_ here,' said Captain Corl.

'Captain, can you run a full scan of the station? Scan for mixed lifesigns.'

'Stand by,' said Corl. A minute later, his voice came back. 'There's no sign of any life readings of the type that you describe on the station, Lieutenant.'

__

'What?' said Sturgess, stunned. A second later, she realised. 'Captain, scan the _Spirit_!'

Corl nodded at the ops officer. A moment later, the ops officer gave him a horrified look. 'Sir, she's in Engineering!'

Nechayev stepped over the dead body of the small Engineering crew and stared for a moment at the warp core. She rested the unusual weapon she had used for her escape and also her phaser rifle on the console before her.

'Sir, she's re-routing bridge controls to Engineering!'

'Lock her out,' ordered Corl calmly.

'I can't, sir,' said the Ops officer despairingly. 'She locked out all the overrides!'

'Security to Engineering.'

Strell levered the crate open and sighed. 'You're right, Lieutenant. Yridian transporter guns.'

Sturgess stared at them. 'How did she manage to use it to get to the _Spirit_? Their shields are up.'

'Transporter guns operate on a different energy carrier wave to normal transporters. Because of the high energy output of a phaser beam combined with a transporter beam, plus the additional fact that it is still deadly if you shoot someone at close range with it, it is not used for that purpose. There is no annular confinement beam, none of the usual refinements of a passenger transport beam.'

'Nechayev would have taken the risk,' said Sturgess. 'We already know that parasite has made her stronger and more intelligent – I wouldn't be surprised if it made her resilient to phaser blasts.'

Lieutenant McNeill stared for a moment at the glimmering forcefield which blocked his entrance to Engineering. He tapped his commbadge. 'McNeill to bridge.'

'Bridge here.'

'Sir, she's erected a level ten forcefield all around Engineering. It'll take some time to break through.'

'Do what you have to, Lieutenant,' said Corl's voice. 'Just take her down.'

'Aye, sir.' McNeill backed off, and then looked around as one of the officers emitted an audible moan. 'Ensign?'

'Sir, I don't feel too well,' gasped the young officer. He collapsed a second later. McNeill glanced at the others, and suddenly realised that they were all pale and ill.

'What the –' A sudden rush of nausea passed through him, and he retched. Abruptly, he realised. He tapped his commbadge, but even as he did so, he collapsed to his knees. 'McNeill to bridge,' he managed.

Corl looked worried at the sound of the officer's voice. 'Bridge here.'

'Sir, my entire team's feeling ill, and they've collapsed. I –' There was a gasp, a thud and the channel cut out. Corl looked at the ops officer.

'What's going on?'

Suddenly, the tactical officer swayed and fell at his post. The ops officer paled, and turned to Corl. 'Sir, she's flooded the ship with theta radiation! We've all had exposure long enough for fatal doses!' At that moment, he proved himself right by gasping and pitching forward.

Corl suddenly felt sick himself, and he moved forward and hit the comm button.

'Corl to Sturgess!'

'Sturgess here,' said the lieutenant, concerned at the sound of his voice.

'Lieutenant, Nechayev's killed the entire crew with lethal doses of theta radiation. I don't know how –' The channel cut out. Sturgess tried for a moment to get it back, and then stared up at the shape of the _Spirit_, now threatening them under the command of Nechayev.

Nechayev nodded, pleased at her success. The humans were paying a heavy price for their hunt. She engaged the engines of the starship and set course for Emeralle II.

The _Nebula_-class starship swung up and over the Starbase, casting a brief shadow over it. It passed over, and went to warp speed.

Sturgess shuddered with relief when she realised Nechayev had not fired, but then remembered the heavy price the _Spirit's_ crew had paid for her misjudgement. Sighing deeply, she put her phaser down and sat on one of the crates in the cargo bay.

Strell looked at her. 'What do we do now, Lieutenant?'

'Now,' said Sturgess, 'we wait to be rescued.'


	10. No Salvation

__

Chapter X

'You're joking!' Riker stared at Kelner in amazed anger. 'When?'

'Yesterday, we assume. We haven't had any contact with the USS _Spirit_ since then.' Kelner shifted uncomfortably under Riker's angry glare. 'I'm sorry that I didn't get in contact sooner.'

Riker sat down and put his head in his hands. After a moment contemplating his palms, he said, 'I understand your reasons. But sending an inexperienced crew out to deal with as deadly a threat as Admiral Nechayev is was not wise, sir. With respect.'

Kelner smiled tightly at the afterthought of the deferment of rank. 'No, you're quite right to criticise, Commander. How soon can you have the Enterprise and her crew together again?'

'Within the hour, sir. Most of them are still aboard, awaiting their shore leave permission. It's only the bridge crew that I have to round up.'

Kelner nodded. 'I don't want you to take Captain Picard.'

Riker gave him a surprised and puzzled stare. 'Sir?'

'It's his _honeymoon_, Commander.'

Riker smiled slightly, but failed to lose the surprise in his expression at the strange request. 'Sir, I can't _not_ take the captain along. For the first thing, he is, as you know, the only expert who knows about the creature we're facing. His tactical insights were crucial in taking her down the first time. Second, if I survive the mission to recapture her if we don't take him, the captain will kill me anyway. I don't get a choice.'

Kelner stared at Riker for a moment, knowing that the other man was right. 'Very well, Commander. He is on Betazed at the moment. But I will inform him.'

'Yes, sir,' said Riker. 'Permission to leave?'

'By all means,' said Kelner. 'Just make sure that you get her this time.'

'When we do, sir,' said Riker, his ire rising again, 'just make sure that you keep hold of her.' He turned on his heel and left.

Kelner stared after him for a moment and sighed. The crew of the _Enterprise_ had been put through a lot so far. This had better be the end of it.

'It's so nice of you to think to come and see me, Captain,' said Lwaxana Troi. Picard forced a friendly smile at the ambassador. 'And myself in my dotage.' Picard's smile remained fixed, but his gaze became frankly unbelievingly.

He and Thames were three days into their honeymoon on Betazed, and Thames had suggested that they go and see Lwaxana Troi. In the face of furious, but polite protests from Picard, who had finally acquiesced on the grounds that he when he was beaten.

'Well, Jean-Luc said how he wanted to come and see you,' said Thames mischieviously.

Before Picard could react, Mr Homn came in from the other room. Troi glanced at Picard. 'Captain, I'm afraid that there's a transmission from Earth for you personally.'

Picard frowned, but nodded. 'Thank you , Ambassador.' Mr Homn guided him to the small subspace radio in one of the smaller rooms.

Picard sat at the screen, and activated the viewer when Mr Homn had left the room. Riker's face appeared. 'Will!'

Riker nodded, but his face was grim. 'Captain, I have some bad news.' He paused for a moment. 'Admiral Nechayev has escaped.'

Thames winced suddenly as she felt the lash of stunned disbelief that whipped through Picard's mind. She stood, and looked directly at where she knew he was sitting.

Ambassador Troi stepped closer to her. 'What's the matter, my dear?'

Thames shook her head slowly. 'I'm not sure yet.'

A moment later, Picard stormed through from the other room. He threw a quick, angry glance at Thames and then turned to Troi. Even in anger, he was still the diplomat. 'Ambassador, I'm afraid that there has been a situation developing that my senior staff has only just informed me of. The _Enterprise_ will be arriving at 2140 our time. I'm sorry, but we must, for reasons of necessity, cut our visit short.'

Troi nodded solemnly. 'I understand, Captain. It is correct that you place your Starfleet duties so highly.'

Picard nearly frowned. Had there been the beginnings of a reprimand in that statement? He settled for an abbreviated bow, and faced Thames. 'Let's go.'

Thames watched as Picard threw their luggage into a series of cases. On the way from Ambassador Troi's home, her husband had not said more than two words to her. 'Aren't you going to tell me what this is all about?'

Picard stopped his furious motion for a moment, and looked at her. Then he smiled slightly, apologetically. 'Sorry, Rosanna. Admiral Nechayev has escaped from Starbase 629.'

'What?'

Picard nodded. 'She outwitted a full security team from the USS _Spirit_, got onboard and captured it somehow. Our orders are to track her down and recapture her.'

Thames saw the look in his eye though. 'But you're going to disobey orders, aren't you.'

Picard paused and then nodded. 'She's caused too much death and disaster now. She must pay for what she's done.'

'To you?' Picard stiffened slightly and looked away. Thames moved closer to him, her face worried. 'Jean-Luc, tell me, please.'

Picard returned to putting the luggage away. 'No. I made a promise.'

'Who to? Me?'

'No. Myself.'

'Not to reveal what you saw in the alternate universe?'

Picard straightened and looked at his wife, frustration burning in his eyes. 'Rosanna, believe me when I tell you that what I saw over there was not something I particularly enjoy reliving. Please, leave it alone.'

Thames shook her head, but she could feel the sorrow burning through Picard's soul now, and the anger and frustration that it was caused by. 'I'm your wife, Jean-Luc Picard. Part of my job is to share everything with you. And that is part of your job as well.'

Picard held a shirt in his hands, and he threw it onto the bed and sat down. In a low, angered voice, he described in detail the entire battle for Earth. And as he did so, they both relived it through the mental link that they shared.

At the end, Thames had sat by Picard's side, her arms around him, holding him as he poured out the bitterness and hatred that he had for Nechayev, the Aralla, and the parasite which had caused so much death.

'This is the USS _Enterprise_, requesting permission to enter orbit and beam up two people.'

'Betazed traffic control here. You have permission to proceed, _Enterprise_.'

The _Enterprise_ soared into high orbit of Betazed and swiftly retrieved the two senior officers from their honeymoon.

Picard stepped onto the bridge, followed by Thames, and suddenly felt at home again. Thames stepped past him, and, as she headed to the Ops position, gave him a brief smile. 'Nice to be back.'

Picard nodded, and stepped towards his command chair. Riker stood up and smiled as he relinquished the captain's chair, but his expression held a trace of foreboding in it. 'Nice honeymoon, sir,' he asked, forced jollity in his tone. Picard noted it. Even in a crisis, Riker always managed to be upbeat. This must have been bad.

He decided to reply in the same manner. 'It was until you turned up.' Riker nodded, and turned to face the main screen. Picard could now see that there was a severe slump to his shoulders, and as he glanced at Troi, could tell that she was anxious about the first officer too.

He turned his attention to helm. 'Ensign Truper, take us out of orbit. Set course for Starbase 629. Maximum warp.'

The _Enterprise_ sailed away from the blue emerald in the darkness, and slipped almost casually into warp speed.

Picard glanced puzzledly around, suddenly noting the absence. 'Where's Data?'

'He's in Engineering. He and Geordi are researching various ways for Nechayev to be hunted down, and also to stop her doing what she did last time,' said Troi.

Picard nodded. 'Very well. Number One, can I speak to you in my ready room, please,' he said, standing and moving into the office. Riker trailed him despondently.

Picard took his seat behind the desk, and looked up at his friend. 'What's the matter, Will?'

Riker sighed. 'I have the full details of what happened at Starbase 629,' he said finally, tone weighty with despair. 'It makes for grim reading.'

He handed Picard a datacard, and Picard slid it into the viewer on his desk.

For five minutes, he watched what Kelner, Sturgess, Corl and Riker had all seen before him – the death of the crew aboard Starbase 629. When the record ended, he glanced at Riker. 'How?'

'The log record shows that she was able to access the locked-out computer from an access point outside the main Ops deck. She blew out the airlocks, but Admiral T'Valla managed to totally lock down the main computer core. There was no way that she could even touch it.'

'Have we any report from the away team from the _Spirit_?'

Riker shook his head. 'No, sir. Nothing apart from the preliminary report they sent to the _Spirit_ that was recorded in the log buoy that Starfleet received.'

Picard nodded. 'What did that say?'

'Only that they'd boarded the station, and that they were checking for any survivors. After that, we have nothing.'

Picard nodded again, turning to contemplate space. 'Several of that security team she murdered were from the _Enterprise_.'

'I have a full list here, sir,' said Riker. He handed Picard a padd. Picard scanned it for a moment, and then looked up at Riker.

'Will, there's something else, isn't there?'

Riker nodded slowly. 'I'm disgusted, sir, by the slack way in which Starfleet handled this. I feel personally responsible for all of those deaths on Starbase 629.'

Picard raised an eyebrow. 'Why?'

'We should have phasered her out of existence,' said Riker, anger in his tone.

Picard gazed at his first officer for a moment, realising that the hatred of the Aralla that he bore within himself had now moved on to another. He nodded slowly. 'I feel that way too, Will. Those deaths – as well as countless others the Aralla perpetrated – are my responsibility as well.'

Riker stared steadfastly at Picard. 'Starfleet's orders are to recapture her.'

'I am aware of Starfleet's orders, Number One,' evaded Picard.

Riker nearly smiled. 'I thought so.'

Thames glanced up as Picard's voice came over the intercom. 'Lieutenant Thames, could you come into my ready room?'

She stood, and waited for a moment as the relief took her position, and then went through the door.

Picard looked up at her and stood, sadness on his face. Thames frowned. 'Jean-Luc, what's the matter?'

'Rosanna, I've just found out. You had a friend on Starbase 629, Michael Regitz. I'm afraid he was killed when Nechayev escaped from captivity.'

The room spun, and Thames felt Picard's arms take and hold her. She rested in his embrace for a moment, murmuring to herself, 'No....' as the tears flowed.

After that moment, she freed herself and fought for her composure. She looked at him through tear-stained eyes. 'We were in the same class at the Academy. We were very good friends.'

Picard nodded. 'We're approaching Starbase 629 now. If you want, you can go off duty –'

Thames shook her head, anger filling her. 'I want to make sure that we catch Nechayev, and put a stop to this slaughter.'

Picard smiled down at her. 'We will.'

'_Enterprise _to Starbase 629. Come in.'

Sturgess was so stunned by the voice coming over her commbadge that she nearly didn't react. Then, she hit her badge so hard she hurt herself. 'This is Lieutenant Sturgess, _Enterprise_. Are we glad to hear your voice, Commander!'

Riker's smile could be heard. 'Nice to hear you again, Lieutenant. How many of you are there?'

Sturgess performed a quick head count, and then replied, 'Seventeen, sir.'

'Good. We're going to beam you aboard where you can make a full report to Captain Picard. Have you any idea of Admiral Nechayev's last heading?'

'No, sir. She took off in the _Spirit_. Captain Corl's last communication told us that she flooded the entire ship with theta radiation.'

'Very well.' If he was frustrated, it did not come through in Riker's tone. 'Prepare to be beamed aboard.'

Sturgess and Strell stood before Picard in his ready room, ramrod stiff at attention. Picard stared at the two of them for a moment, before amusement flashed across his face. 'At ease, Lieutenants.'

They relaxed slightly. Picard hid a smile at the proper formality. 'I'd like your reports please.'

Sturgess quickly filled him in on the details of their disastrous mission to Starbase 629 and what they found there. Strell backed up her statement, adding in a few details that Sturgess had not known.

When they finished, Picard sat back and nodded silently, upset by the enormous loss of life. 'Very well. You and your security teams are now part of the team we will send out to capture Admiral Nechayev – again.'

Sturgess wore a ferocious expression, but Strell's face went slightly pale. Picard noted the differing reactions and then dismissed the two officers. As they left, Riker entered. Picard motioned to the two security officers. 'They're both good officers.'

Riker nodded. 'Sturgess has Commander Hedly's highest recommendation. What's the plan?'

Picard sighed. 'We have no information on the _Spirit's_ course, and we have no idea what Nechayev's plans are. I suggest that we set course for Emeralle II and await her there.'

'And if she has beaten us there?'

Picard's expression became cold, icy and – Riker could hardly believe it – terrified. 'Then, Number One, we batten down the hatches, run back to Earth and start fighting the largest war in history. Again.'

They were two days en route to Emeralle II when Data picked up the sensor ghost on his scanners. It vanished in a brief second – any human would have missed it – but Data had recognised the configuration. He looked at Picard. 'Captain, I've picked something up on sensors. It was only brief, but I think it was the _Spirit_.'

Picard stared at him for a moment. 'Are you absolutely sure, Data? I don't want to have to pull the _Enterprise_ off course unless I have to.'

Data gazed steadfastly at Picard. 'Yes, sir.' Picard nodded.

'Feed your co-ordinates to the helm and we'll take a look.'

The _Enterprise _broke out of warp in empty space – empty, save for one solitary object. The USS _Spirit_, adrift.

Picard watched the hulk for a moment, watching as it rested, unmoving, before the looming shape of the _Enterprise_. He felt his pulse quicken, as though his body knew this was the end. Not taking his eyes away, he said, 'Mr Data, scan the _Spirit_ for lifesigns.'

Data did so, and looked back at Picard, his expression grim. 'One, sir. Mixed human and unknown signs.'

Picard nodded slowly, having expected little else. He turned to Riker. 'Commander, take an away team. We only need to ascertain Nechayev's presence. Once you have it, beam back. Remember to visit sickbay and get your inoculations against the theta radiation.'

Riker nodded, made swift motions to Hedly, Data and left the bridge. Picard watched him go, trepidation swimming in his mind.

Sturgess and Strell awaited Riker's arrival in transporter room two. Both carried phaser rifles, and they turned to face the away team as the door slid open. Riker looked at them both. 'We have orders to locate and confirm Admiral Nechayev's presence onboard the ship. Nothing else.'

'If she attacks?' asked Sturgess.

'We retaliate, on kill. She's done enough to us to earn that,' said Riker, anger tingeing his tone. Sturgess nodded, understanding.

The away team stood on the pad, and Riker looked at the transporter chief. 'Energise.'

They materialised on the bridge of the starship. The lights were off, and Riker and the others immediately moved into battle stances, sweeping the area with their torches. After a moment, they spotted the first bodies.

Captain Corl was slumped over the Ops console, his eyes staring glassily at the deck. The other bodies were strewn at random about the bridge. Riker sighed in disgust at the death they saw. 'Come on, let's start sweeping the ship.' The away team headed for the turbolift.

It spotted them as soon as they left the turbolift. It was not concerned – they would find its little gift soon enough. It glanced around at its surroundings one last time, and took out its weapon. It had no more use for this ship – it had served its purpose. What it needed was on the _Enterprise_. Putting the gun on the desk before it, it triggered the weapon.

Riker heard the discharge and turned, phaser raised. The others gave him a puzzled look, except for Data, whose android hearing had picked it up as well. 'What was that?'

'I'm not sure,' said the android. 'Do you want me to investigate?'

'No,' said Riker after a moment. 'It may have been another phaser trap. She's overly fond of them. I want you to go to Engineering and check there, Data. She could have done anything. Take Lieutenant Strell with you.'

Data nodded, and he and Strell moved off down the corridor. Riker glanced at Hedly and Sturgess. 'We'll continue on our search pattern.'

Data and Strell moved cautiously along the corridor, scanning visually and with tricorders. However, the scan range was limited because of the immense theta radiation surge that still lingered around Engineering.

Strangely though, they did not encounter any phaser sentries or other ingenious devices of mayhem as they moved further down the darkened corridor. Strell, at point, would poke his phaser rifle through every door, and scan quickly before moving on to the next.

Eventually, they reached a turbolift, and Data ducked inside, securing it, before Strell entered and they descended in silence.

Eventually, the lift stopped at the Engineering deck and they moved forward again, resuming their scan and search pattern in the dark section. Shadows moved in every corner under their torchlight, and Strell was sweating nervously as they continuously uncovered more bodies, each one lying, contorted, with an expression of pure horror on its face.

Finally, however, they reached the warp core. The immense structure stood tall and silent, with only the barest glow signalling that a tiny matter/anti-matter reaction was occurring.

Data holstered his phaser, and saw to the computer, while Strell made a nervous sentry. He glanced at Data as the android carefully worked his way through activating the computer.

Finally, he tapped his commbadge. 'Commander, I've isolated the main computer's memory core. It doesn't look like it's been tampered with at all. Shall I activate it?'

Riker's reply was slow. 'Go ahead. Keep the signal open.'

'Affirmative,' replied Data, and he activated the computer.

Instantly, the lights came on, the hum of functioning systems filled the air, and the computer's voice said, 'Self-destruct in five seconds. Alert.'

Data hit his commbadge. '_Enterprise_, beam us out _now!_'

The transporter chief hammered at his controls. It had been hard enough to keep track of the away team through the theta radiation, and now it was even more difficult to try and beam them out in a hurry.

Three seconds passed, and he was still fighting for a lock. Then he had it, or the best he was likely to get in the few seconds remaining. He energised the transporter.

Before Picard's horrified gaze, the _Spirit _suddenly blazed with an outburst of fierce blue-white light that dazzled the entire bridge crew. When the light faded, Picard could only see, spinning through the dark void, burning debris that marked the grave of a once proud starship. Almost fearful to do so, he said, 'Transporter room, this is the captain. Did you get them back?'

The transporter chief answered after a moment. 'Sir, I managed to get Commander Riker, Commander Hedly and Commander Data, but Lieutenants Sturgess and Strell were lost in transit. I'm sorry.'

Picard bowed his head. 'You did your best, chief.'

At Ops, Thames bowed her head as well, fighting back the tears that threatened to dissolve her composure on the bridge. But there was no time for tears – not yet.

The Aralla are all connected by a telepathic link – it was what gave them their natural superiority, reasoned the creature which had robbed Admiral Nechayev of her right to life. But lack of communication with the other side disturbed it. So far, there had not been communication with the others for nearly three days. There was only one conclusion -–the humans had found them. Found them, and destroyed them.

Without that direction, it had only one recourse. Revenge – revenge on the one who had been the centre of all the pain and woe and destruction the Aralla had faced – one whose face had led the humans and the Borg, their nemeses, to victory at the planet called Vegryo.

If there could be no salvation for the Aralla race, it decided, there would at least be vengeance. Up until now, the parasite had considered revenge a secondary motive to reopening the dimensional gate and allowing their fleet through to devastate this galaxy, but now that it had lost contact, it might be the only objective salvageable from this mission.

Plus, there was the hatred drifting through its psychotic, maladjusted mind. The mind that had caused the deaths of so many was clouded by hate and fear, although it could not admit the latter. Picard, in a way so similar to his own fixation with the Aralla, had become a focus for all the hate and fear and dark emotions that the Aralla could bring to bear.

And all it wanted now was death.

It stared around at the darkened room, faintly confused by what it saw, or possibly what it didn't see, until a trawl of dead memories told it what it needed to know. It smiled. Justice for crimes against the Aralla would be served here. It dropped the phaser rifle it carried, and set to work.


	11. Love's Storm Rages

__

Chapter XI

'Sir, scans are complete. We've got her onboard.'

Picard tensed up at Data's terse report, although he knew it had been coming. 'Where?'

'Holodeck two,' said Data.

'Is she trying to re-route the controls?' asked Riker.

'No,' said Data, and his tone was faintly surprised. 'At the moment, she has the holodeck up and running – that's all.'

Picard stared at the back of Data's head for a moment, puzzling out the situation. Then he stood. 'I didn't think that she'd self-destructed the _Spirit_ while she was still aboard,' he said. 'Now what is she doing in the holodeck? It doesn't make any sense.'

'Her priorities were to get to Emeralle II in the last hunt,' stated Data simply. 'Waiting for us to chase her into the holodecks is incompatible with the drive she has demonstrated earlier.'

'If only we knew what her motives were,' said Riker, and Picard gave him a puzzled glance.

'I think that they are self-explanatory, Number One.'

Riker nodded slowly, but his expression was still puzzled. Picard stood up and looked at the bridge crew in one sweeping glance. 'We've all done this before. I want you all with me now. We're not taking any chances with her. Commander Hedly, have a security detail meet us at holodeck two, armed with phaser rifles and photon grenades.'

Hedly nodded, and Picard started for the aft turbolift, followed by Troi, Riker, Data, and Thames. Hedly turned and followed them a moment later.

The turbolift opened, and the bridge crew spilled out and made their way to the holodeck. Only Picard stopped and turned to the last figure, his wife. Already he could hear her objections in the back of his mind. 'I don't want you in there with us,' he said.

Thames looked up at him with an unfamiliar emotion in her eyes, dark hatred. 'You don't understand. I _have_ to.'

Picard sensed again that familiar feeling – the feeling of looking into another's eyes to find only that his own anger was mirrored there. And in this pair of dark brown eyes, into which his soul melted so easily and freely, that sensation of reflection was not welcome. He gripped her tightly, felt her embrace him with a fierceness that belied her actual strength. 'Why?' he asked quietly after a moment.

'She's taken too much from us already, Jean-Luc,' she whispered to him. 'Your life, my friends – she's got to be stopped. And I need to be there when that happens.'

Picard gazed into her eyes for another long moment, and leant down and kissed her. When they broke away, he nodded slowly. 'You'll be there. I promise.'

Then he let go, and they advanced, side by side, to the holodeck door.

Troi watched quietly as the short exchange between Picard and Thames ended, and they came down the corridor towards the security team, similar expressions of anger and determination on their faces. She had felt the bond between them getting stronger at that moment, and now it was an almost visible silver cord connecting the two.

__

Imzadi, in that moment, was being given it's true meaning.

Riker threw Picard a phaser rifle, and the captain caught it with ease. A practised motion allowed him to check it's setting and then he held it comfortably under one arm, gripping the blackened barrel with a gentleness that belied the true anger in his emotions.

Thames received a rifle in gentler fashion than her husband, and performed the same procedure with slightly less ease. After a moment, Picard stepped forward, back to the holodeck door. He glanced at the large group. 'I have no idea what Admiral Nechayev's objectives are in there, but one thing is for certain. She wants to kill each and everyone on this ship – no exceptions. Thus, we are going to play the same game. We will scour every inch of that holodeck until we drive her out of hiding, and then we will blast her out of our misery. Is that understood?'

One by one, the team nodded, the senior officers with considerably less happiness than the security detail showed. The people killed on Galorndon Core, Starbase 629 and the _Spirit_ had been fellow officers, but mostly security officers. And security did not forgive and forget easily. As Picard glanced at their young faces, he recognised Ensigns Cavell and Horner and Lieutenant Burnell from the original hunt. Hedly had chosen her people well.

Picard turned and looked at the computer readout of the program running inside, and felt a faint frown cross his brow. He didn't recognise the program. He sighed, and pressed the button to open the doors.

As the orange doors slid aside with a hiss of motors, Picard felt his heart give a lurch as he recognised the surroundings.

Before the team, a long plain stretched out, with rocky outcroppings poking from the flat ground like fingers of a buried giant. In the far distance, a tall mountain peak stretched into the air. And all around that peak, lightning and thunder clashed like a battle of ancient gods, and rain washed the ground under foot, causing long rivulets of water to cascade down the peaks of the fingers of rock.

But that was not what held Picard's attention. In the dark sky, black shapes huddled close together. Huge ships, bigger than many planets that Picard had seen, giant black monoliths of ultimate destruction that oppressed the soul with shades of darkness reaching across the sky like a giant shadow.

Picard felt the incredulous gasps of all those with him as they saw the vast shapes in the sky, and Riker asked, 'My god, sir, what are they?'

There was only one answer, Picard knew. 'They, Number One, are the Aralla.'

Only Data was not transfixed by the ships that loomed over them. He was scanning with his tricorder. 'Sir,' he said eventually, 'I have located Admiral Nechayev's life-signs. She is approximately two miles due east of our position.'

'Two miles?' asked Riker.

'In holodeck terms,' said Data calmly. He holstered the scanning device. 'I believe that we cannot trust the tricorders except to deny or confirm Admiral Nechayev's presence in the simulation.'

Picard nodded, tearing his eyes away from the black ships. He drew in a shuddering breath. Troi noticed the effect it had upon him and stepped closer to him, as did Thames. 'Sir,' asked the Counsellor, 'what's the problem?'

Picard did not look at her, but said, 'When Q showed me the Aralla fleet on the other side of the gateway, this was the planet he showed me. Seeing it again, with those ships in the sky – it brought back some unpleasant memories.'

Thames gripped his arm. 'Don't worry, Jean-Luc.'

Picard rested his free hand on hers, and smiled slightly. 'Computer, end program.'

'Unable to comply,' said the calm tones of the computer.

'Authorisation Picard-4-7-alpha-tango,' said the captain with an exasperated sigh. 'Computer, end program.'

'Unable to comply. Command codes are locked out of the system.'

'By whose authority?' asked Picard, astonished. The computer remained silent.

Data stepped closer to Picard. 'Sir, it is possible to lock out command authorisation to the computer without giving a prior command code. If so, I suspect that Admiral Nechayev has deactivated the safety protocols.'

Picard glanced at the android. 'That means we have to do this the old-fashioned way.'

'I can remain here and try to unlock the computer codes,' said Data.

Picard shook his head. 'I need you here, my friend.'

Data nodded calmly. 'Understood, sir.'

Picard glanced at the others. 'Let's get on with it.'

Stepping from the arch out onto the sodden earth, the away team advanced.

Nechayev watched calmly as the away team set out to find her. Oddly comforting was this program, staring as it could at the silent, unmoving, inanimate shapes of the Aralla fleet. Alone as it was now in this universe – indeed, in existence – it could almost sense its compatriots calling to it.

Shaking itself from its reveries, it grasped the barrel of the phaser rifle and turned to watch the away team making its slow way across the plain to her location.

And saw an opportunity it had not expected to ever have. Silently, it picked up the rifle and moved away.

Picard could see how tense his officers were from their movements. Only Hedly moved with any assurance over the treacherous surface, her rifle gripped with deceptive gentleness. She caught Picard's glance for a second, and then moved forward slightly. She was now advancing just ahead of the main group.

For the third time, Picard felt a twinge of guilt at allowing Thames to accompany him on this assault. Still, he could not hide her from the dangers of the galaxy for the rest of her married life – much as he wanted to. Starfleet duty did not allow that.

He had connived to get her into the centre of the formation, making sure that she was as protected as possible from –

A phaser blast shattered an outcropping of rock to the left. Before the group could react, another blast struck Hedly in the shoulder, sending her to the ground.

'Cover!' shouted Riker, while he dived forward to drag Hedly's body clear of the firing line. He grabbed her arm, and pulled her to her feet, just as another beam blew apart the ground where she had lain.

As the first officer got her into cover, Picard could see the horrific wound in his security chief's shoulder – blackened flesh displayed to the rain by the torn and ruined uniform. Her arm hung limply at her side, and Hedly's face had gone white with pain and shock. Another flicker of anger crept across Riker's face as he inspected the wound. The glance he cast Picard told him all he needed to know – the injury was serious.

Picard indicated that one of the security guards should take their chief back to the holodeck entrance. Riker picked one of the guards whom Picard had not met before, and the young man took Hedly by the shoulders and carried her away.

Two down, thought Picard. He glanced about, assuring himself of the locations of the others in the team –

He froze, dreaded horror freezing his very soul. _Where was his wife?_

Picard cast about desperately, but there was no sign of Thames anywhere. He signalled for Data to join him, and the android did so. 'Data, did you see Lieutenant Thames leave at any time?'

Data shook his head. 'She was just behind me, sir, at the back.'

Picard stared at him for a moment, uncomprehending. His wife had been alone at the back.... 'Scan for her, Data!'

Data took the tricorder from his belt and performed a short scan. His features became concerned. He looked up at his captain. 'Sir, I've picked up her signal. She's about two hundred metres away from here.'

'Which direction?' asked Picard, his tone tinged with dread and fear.

'Towards the mountain,' said Data. 'Sir, her signal is very close to that of Admiral Nechayev.'

No wonder, realised Picard, that he had not sensed any alarm or fear from Thames. She had obviously seen Nechayev and gone after her. His racing heart slowed somewhat, knowing that his wife was not a captive, but he was still concerned. Thames had no experience at hunting an armed, dangerous and skilful quarry like Nechayev.

__

Rosanna, he thought despairingly, _why?_

Thames watched quietly as Nechayev disappeared from view behind some more rocks, moving carefully and placidly, showing no sign that she realised she was being tailed.

She carefully stood from her position, and moved quickly after the admiral. When she spotted her quarry again, she crouched down to observe, waiting for that one clear shot that would end these months of death and horror.

Suddenly, Nechayev ducked out of sight. Thames felt a rush of worry through her, and stood to get a clearer look.

There was no sign of the admiral. Taking a few steps forward, she rounded the rock outcrop that Nechayev had ducked behind. Again, there was no sign of the admiral.

At that moment, she decided to return to the away team. She was not experienced enough for the task she was trying to do.

She turned, just as a purple hand reached from behind the rocks, and wrapped itself around her....

Picard felt it that time, the shock and terror that passed through the link. The away team had already quickened its pace, and now Picard broke into a run.

The others all shouted after him, but their captain could not – would not – hear them. The concern in his heart blossomed into full fear, panic claimed his being, and Picard ran harder, chasing the source of that terror. Behind him, the away team chased him.

It was Troi who spotted them at last – the two figures struggling up the side of the peak, one dressed in a tattered red admiral's uniform, the other in the dark uniform of a Starfleet officer. Although the dark figure was leading, it was even clearer who directed the climb. 'Captain!' shouted the Counsellor, and as Picard glanced up, he saw the two figures and changed his direction.

The away team followed.

Nechayev glanced back at the small figures on the ground pounding towards the foot of the mountain. It looked at Thames, who stared at her, eyes terrified, but making a determined effort to hide that fear. 'Who are you? Why are you doing this?' she asked.

Nechayev did not listen. A single motion of the rifle forced Thames onwards up the mountain.

Picard came to the foot of the mountain, and looked up at the two figures higher up. In the conditions, the climb was unbelievably treacherous.

The away team hurried to his side, and Riker followed Picard's stare. 'She's taken Lieutenant Thames hostage,' he said, stating the obvious.

Picard nodded silently. He still looked up, unable to understand how they had gotten so far without slipping.

It was Lieutenant Burnell who provided the answer. 'Sir!' They followed her call, and Picard stared for a moment at a small, winding path that led up the mountain. Dangerous, yes, but passable.

Without a word, Picard slung his rifle over his shoulders and started along it. With a sigh, Riker followed him. The others followed their lead. Picard turned around a moment later. He stared at the security team. 'Lieutenant Burnell, take your squad and surround the mountain as best you can. Nechayev may be heading for a point at which she can descend again. I want you to stop her if she does so.'

Burnell nodded calmly, and turned to her fellows and began issuing orders. Picard turned away and set off again.

The long climb was not as difficult as Picard had feared at first. Although the path wove and ducked and climbed steeply in places, it was for the most part clear of rain and water, allowing for an easier climb. Occasionally, Picard would turn his gaze upwards at the two figures who climbed higher. But the away team was catching them, slowly.

Picard could feel Thames' fear passing through to him, and continuously, he would send reassurance and calm through the link, hiding his anger and fear.

Thames felt this calm presence following her up the mountain and she refused to allow herself to look back, possibly alerting Nechayev to the approaching away team. Instead, she pressed on along the path that led to a small outcropping of rock, she could see now. This small ledge held a clear view of what followed the two, Thames realised. From there, Nechayev would have a clear field of fire on the away team. Desperately, she tried to make her husband aware of the danger.

Picard glanced up again as the path straightened out before him for a few metres. Thames and Nechayev were in range of a shot from the rifles, he knew, but he did not dare for fear he might hit his wife. Instead, he increased his pace – and felt the contact.

He looked up again, and saw what Thames was indicating. The ledge would give Nechayev a clear field of fire. Picard glanced back at Riker and signalled the danger. His first officer acknowledged, and signalled for the away team to increase the pace.

It was a race against time now.

From the foot of the mountain, it was clear how the race was progressing. Ensign Cavell watched as the larger party to the rear closed with the smaller leaders. Although darkness enclosed the peak now, and the Aralla ships in the sky could no longer be seen, thunder and lightning would crash around the peak, illuminating the desperate race.

Picard could see how close he was now, only thirty metres or so away from the admiral. He unslung the rifle, and forced himself onwards. Another bolt of lightning illuminated the sky as he led the team after the fleeing Aralla.

Thames could not help but glance backwards now as the lightning brightened the darkness, and thunder filled the air. They were close now to the ledge, and Nechayev knew how close their pursuers were. The rifle dug into Thames' side, forcing her onwards as the rain fell around them, and thunder crashed again.

Picard leapt over an outcrop of rock and found himself on the last straight leg of the journey to the ledge. He could feel the pain in his legs, and the weariness and strain on his face were obvious when the lightning washed him with light. But he forced himself on, weapon raised, fury building, and concern rising.

Nechayev and Thames reached the ledge a second before Picard came into view. The away team had not kept up with their captain, and it would be a couple of minutes before they would arrive. He trained the rifle on the admiral, who gripped Thames tightly, holding the phaser to her back.

It was the first time that Picard had confronted the admiral in the time he had been hunting her. He could see the damage wrought by the Aralla parasite on her body. The eyes stared glassily at him, and the mouth hung open slackly. One hand, the intact human one, held the phaser, while the other, a large purple monstrosity, gripped Thames hard around the neck. The uniform jacket hung loosely from Nechayev's shoulders, exposing the skin beneath, and Picard could see where various appendages on the Aralla body had torn the skin and protruded through. At this moment, he realised that true horror of what had happened to a woman he had respected and trusted implicitly.

Suddenly, the slack mouth tightened into a grimace of a smile. 'You are Picard,' gasped a throttled, breathy voice that sent shivers down Picard's spine. He recognised that voice, the one that spoke for the Aralla, the one that had spoken through Beverly Crusher's body.

'Yes,' managed Picard. The lightning flashed again, illuminating Thames' fear-filled, pained eyes. 'Let her go.'

'We have no intention,' said the Aralla. The mouth did not quite move in time with the words, Picard saw, and realised that the voice of the Aralla was coming directly from the parasite; no, creature, within. 'We have no quarrel with her.'

Picard felt, rather than saw, the away team approaching him. He felt his hand strengthened. 'If you don't, let her go. I'm the one you want.'

The Aralla regarded him for a moment, ignoring the away team behind him as if they did not exist. 'You are right. Vengeance for the Aralla death on you. We have no intention of freeing her.'

'Why not?' asked Riker from behind Picard. The Aralla wearing Nechayev's body ignored him to speak to the captain.

'We cannot hear them any longer. There is no voice for us, as there is voice for you. You destroyed the voice, and we cannot live without the voice.'

At last, Picard saw the Aralla purpose – saw what it wanted from him. Revenge – nothing more, nothing less. It also knew of his link to Thames. And horror, terror, desperation gripped him as he saw the truth.

The Aralla smiled again, providing Picard with a glimpse into horror as it saw he realised what it planned. 'No voice,' it said. 'You brought this. You pay.'

It fired the rifle.

Thames went stiff with shock, her mouth opening in a soundless scream as the phaser blast set to kill flashed into her back. Picard felt the pain through his link and he screamed in sympathetic pain. He felt the link itself tremble and strain to breaking point in his mind, which sent further reverberations of pain ricocheting around his soul.

The Aralla held the stiff body for a moment, and then turned and fled along the path, dropping Thames from its grasp, and the phaser rifle with her. Two shots from the away team missed it. Picard caught the falling body of his dying wife in his arms.

'No!' he cried to the storm, as he brushed the rain-slicked hair from her face and felt the tears flowing from his eyes. 'No!'

Her eyes opened, and Thames stared weakly at her husband. Her hand tried to reach his, and Picard caught it in his hand and pressed it to his lips desperately. 'No,' he whispered, feeling her slip away from him, 'don't leave me!'

She smiled at him, and said, in a choked, fading voice, 'I'll never leave you, my love. Never....'

As Thames' eyes closed in death, Picard felt the silver cord vanish from his mind, felt every torture in the universe as that link to his only love's mind snapped in twain. Picard was alone.

Sobbing furiously into his wife's dead body, Picard knelt on the mountain, ignoring the rain that splattered the rocks and the lightning that crazed all around, alone in his mind again. Lifting his face to the sky, he screamed, a wordless, hoarse, furious and bitter howl of loss that echoed around the mountain.

Behind him, the rain mingling with the tears that flowed, his friends watched, unable to help their captain, weeping for his and their loss. Troi sobbed into Riker's arms, feeling the pain and darkness that blighted Picard's soul, while Riker watched silently as Picard set the body to the ground gently and picked up his phaser rifle again.

Without a single backward glance, he started along the path that Nechayev had fled along. Data stepped forward after him, but Riker restrained the android. They watched as Picard stalked blindly along the path.

Nechayev had felt the link for so long itself that it was almost surprised when it vanished. Vengeance had been achieved for the Aralla, and it fled blindly itself, knowing that Picard would soon come for it. But that did not matter any longer.

It reached the summit of the mountain, and stood, unarmed as Picard rounded the corner, pure unadulterated hate on his face. In his tortured mind, he saw nothing but the face of his wife, calm and beautiful in the pouring rain, slaughtered, cut down in her prime by the abomination that stood before him now, watching him calmly. The eyes of the Starfleet admiral watched, in the face of the Starfleet admiral, controlled by the mind of a creature that would kill and kill and kill for all eternity, bore through him to his soul, and saw the darkness there. There was no word for the emotions that Picard carried in his heart now, all reason gone, primal frenzy boiling through him.

He levelled the rifle, seeing it all ending before him. He could see, silhouetted by the lightning, the black shapes of the Aralla mother ships, unmoving behind their last representative in existence.

Picard fired that first shot that he hoped would cleanse his dying soul in fire. The blast caught Nechayev in the arm, blowing it free from her body in a spray of purple gore. It staggered and continued to stare at Picard.

Picard fired again, striking the cadaver in the chest. The explosion of energy flashed across her body, leaving a huge gout of blood on the nearby rocks as its chest was blown through its torso, and vaporised by the energy.

The Aralla sagged to its knees and continued to give Picard the look of calm that enraged his soul, and seared across his mind like a flame across paper.

He stepped close to the dying creature, and knelt to stare at it, allowing it to see what it had done to him in his eyes. Then he rested the tip of the rifle against its forehead, stared into its eyes until the last, and fired.

The last Aralla's head exploded in a welter of blood and bone which splattered across Picard's uniform and hands. For a moment, it remained upright on its knees, headless in a gruesome reminder of the death of Commander Remmick so long before, and then fell back, dead at last.

The hunt was done, the Aralla were extinct, and Admiral Nechayev and all those who had died were avenged.

But Picard knelt there, congealing blood drying on his uniform, a mangled dead body next to him, feeling the cool rain running down his face and mingling with the tears of bitterness that flowed down his cheeks. And, he smiled to himself, and looked at the sky, and started to laugh quietly.

And that was how he was when the away team found him, ten minutes later.


	12. Gripped In The Jaws Of Death

__

Chapter XII

First Officer's Log: Stardate 51587.8 – We have arrived at the Tantalus V base from our position near the Neutral Zone, bearing the remains of our honoured dead. Commander Hedly's wounds were not life-threatening once treated, but there are deeper wounds that have afflicted us all, wounds which may never heal for the rest of our lives.

Troi stared at the body on the bio-bed, feeling the familiar sting of tears that pricked her eyes. She had thought that she no longer had any tears to shed, but she was proving herself wrong every day since the tragic events of a week before.

Beverly Crusher stood beside her silently, gazing down on the serene, beautiful features of Lieutenant Thames. No words needed to be said, no words _could_ be said after the last week.

'I don't want to do this,' said the doctor finally. 'A post-mortem.' She snorted with disgust.

Troi nodded slowly, not taking her gaze away. 'Starfleet expects a full report –'

'Starfleet does not deserve anything. _They_ allowed this to happen!' The snarl in the doctor's tone surprised Troi, but she could not find it in herself to disagree with the doctor's analysis of the situation.

The intercom bleeped and Hedly's voice came through. 'Bridge to Counsellor Troi.'

'Troi here,' said the Counsellor.

'Counsellor, Admiral Kelner is on subspace. He wishes to speak with you.'

Troi glanced at Crusher. 'Can I use –'

Crusher nodded, and Troi stepped through to the medical office. 'Put it through down here, Ghia,' she said.

Troi sat at the desk as Admiral Kelner's face appeared on screen. 'Counsellor Troi,' he said. Troi spotted immediately the strain in his eyes.

'Admiral.'

Kelner stared at her for a moment. 'I have received Commander Riker's report of what happened on the _Enterprise_. Admiral Nechayev is dead?'

Troi nodded. 'Captain Picard killed her,' she said shortly.

Kelner nodded again, as if struggling for something. 'Counsellor,' he said at last, 'I want to apologise on the behalf of the Admiralty. It is our fault, and our fault alone for the utter devastation of the last few weeks. We failed to spot Admiral Nechayev's odd behaviour, allowed her to escape from captivity on Starbase 629, which led to this –' He fought for a word, and savagely, bitterly, said, '- fiasco!'

Troi agreed completely, although she couldn't say so to a superior officer. Kelner saw her expression though. 'I know that you, and Riker and the others all blame me for what has happened, and I don't intend to dissuade you of your beliefs. It may please you to know that I have handed in my resignation from the service.'

That surprised Troi, and she leant closer to the screen. 'There is no need for that Admiral. We do not blame you personally, merely the mistakes that led to Admiral Nechayev being freed. That was a circumstance of factors that would not be possible to predict and that we will never know.'

Kelner nodded sadly. 'Thank you, Counsellor, but my decision still stands. Please, what is Captain Picard's condition?'

Troi's expression became devastated. 'Unchanged. The carers believe that there is nothing that can be done for him.'

Kelner's eyes widened in shock. 'Dear god, with the level of psychological treatments now –'

Troi cut in. 'I know, sir, but exactly what he is suffering is clear. Depression, psychosis, definitely, but there is an extra element that cannot be defined.'

Kelner nodded slowly. His expression was saddened. 'I cannot express in words how horrified and sad I am at that news. Jean-Luc and I were close friends.'

Troi nodded, her expression softening slightly. 'I am sorry, Admiral. I do not believe that there is anything which can be done for him.'

'Bridge to Counsellor Troi!' Hedly's voice disturbed Troi from her concern, and she smiled at Kelner tiredly.

'No rest for the weary. I must go.'

Kelner nodded. 'Thank you, Counsellor.' He cut the channel and Troi leaned back and tapped her badge.

'Troi here.'

'Counsellor!' Troi detected the note of near-panic in Hedly's voice. 'We have a warp shuttle coming alongside. The passenger wishes to speak with you.'

Troi frowned. 'Who is it?'

'He won't say,' replied Hedly. 'Shall I put him through?'

Troi considered, and then nodded. 'Very well.' Anger filled her mind, and she prepared herself to force her feelings back for another well-wisher who wished to speak with Picard.

Prepared, that is, for anyone except who appeared on her screen.

Troi strode through the corridors of the hospital, followed by her dark companion from the shuttle.

Tantalus V had been a secure mental prison at one time, but under the management of Dr. Simon Van Gelder, it had become a full mental hospital to care for the few insane people across the quadrant, who could not be treated by conventional means.

One of those was now Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

Troi stopped when she approached the security barrier and saw the intern behind the screen. 'No visitors,' said the young man.

Troi indicated the person behind her, and the intern's face paled. He suddenly scrambled to the barrier and deactivated the forcefield. Troi and her companion stepped through and faced the intern, who gazed, trembling, into the face of Ambassador Spock of Vulcan. He still managed to say, 'What is your business with Captain Picard?'

'Ambassador Spock has come all of this way to see the captain,' said Troi, trying to keep excitement out of her voice, and forcing indignation into its place. 'And you would deny him?'

'Well – no –'

'Good.' Troi turned and walked down the corridor, followed closely by Spock.

The Vulcan's face was calm, but he leant down slightly and said, 'Well done, Counsellor.'

Troi smiled slightly, but then she rounded the corner and saw what lay beyond, and felt a pain shudder through her being even as she gazed upon the pitiful wreck.

Picard lay there, dressed in a hospital smock. The room was well furnished, with a table, chairs, and a bed, but he lay, sprawled in one corner of the room, muttering quietly to himself, not even acknowledging them stood watching him. His body was emaciated – he refused to eat – and his eyes were shadowed by the darkness that covered his soul. Troi could not, even now, believe that this was the same vibrant man who had been glowing with pleasure on his wedding day, only two weeks ago. Now, she could not sense anything except despairing pain from him. All he wanted, she knew, apart from his wife, was death. Maybe he believed he would see Rosanna Thames there.

And all Troi had been able to see, until an hour ago, was death for her friend.

At that moment, a young woman approached them from behind. Troi recognised her as Picard's personal doctor, Dr. Joanne Lennara. She stared at Troi penetratingly for a moment through striking green eyes before saying, 'Who gave you permission to be down here?'

'Excuse me,' said Spock. 'I asked Counsellor Troi to take me to see Captain Picard.'

Lennara looked up at the solemn Vulcan for a moment, and then nodded. 'Why?'

Spock did not hide his intention. 'I can help him.'

The scorn in Lennara's eyes was clear as she stared at Spock. 'Oh, you can help him when the best analytical doctors in the entire Federation cannot even tell what's wrong with him?'

Spock nodded. Lennara turned away and stared sadly at the figure of her patient. 'Look at him. He doesn't even want help.'

Spock stepped forward to stand beside her. 'I know,' he said, in his deep voice. 'Nevertheless, he must be helped. Everything depends on it.' Troi frowned at Spock's back, surprised by the tone of his voice.

Lennara was also confused. 'Why?'

Spock ignored the question as if it had not been asked. Instead, he stared down at Lennara. 'Do you want to know how I can help him?'

Lennara nodded slowly. Spock turned to look at Picard's muttering face. 'Captain Picard, as you correctly diagnosed, does not want to be helped. He has lost everything that he holds dear in a very short space of time, and in a way, everything that helped him identify who he was. He and his wife shared a very special bond, one that was broken when she was killed so suddenly. That is what has driven him into this slow death. There is no real damage to his mind that cannot be treated easily by conventional means.'

Lennara turned her gaze onto Picard. 'How do you propose to help him?'

'By a mind-meld,' said Spock. 'By reaching into his mind and erasing the memories that are destroying him, we can restore him to us.'

Lennara frowned at Spock. 'Can it be done?'

'I have done it before,' said the Ambassador. 'But in this case, it will be tougher. He must forget everything that could lead him back to his madness. Everything that could remind him of what he has lost must be erased.'

'There are a great number of memories that must be erased, Ambassador,' said Troi. 'Captain Picard –'

Spock looked at her and nearly smiled. 'I know of those memories, Counsellor. They will have to go as well. Everything from the moment that Commander Thames came onboard the _Enterprise_.'

'Could we not get another to do the meld?' asked Lennara. 'To risk yourself, Ambassador –'

'I see you appreciate the dangers of the mind-meld,' said Spock. 'In answer, no, there is none other. I have melded with this one before. It must be I.'

Lennara glanced at Troi. 'Counsellor? What do you think?'

Troi gazed at the face of her friend, captain and mentor. There was only one answer. 'I leave it in your hands, Ambassador.'

Lennara looked into the solemn, deep, Vulcan eyes. She nodded. 'Very well. How long?'

'As long as necessary.'

'Will you need any help? Monitoring?'

'No,' replied Spock. 'I would appreciate solitude.'

Lennara nodded. 'When can you start?'

'Now.'

Lennara sighed, and deactivated the forcefield that closed off the room. Spock stepped through towards Picard as the doctor reactivated the field and turned to Troi. 'Come on, Counsellor. We can return when he calls us.'

Troi nodded, but could not resist a backward glance as the tall figure knelt before Picard's body. Then she turned the corner and didn't see them again.

Picard's face did not change as Spock knelt near him. 'Captain,' said the voice of the ambassador. Picard did not react at all.

There was a sigh, and a new voice spoke. 'Come on, Jean-Luc, don't do this to me now!'

Picard glanced up now at those words, stopped his muttering, recognised the voice, and the face that now adorned Spock's ambassadorial robes. 'Q.'

The being smiled at Picard. 'I'm here for you, _mon capitaine_. Here to help.'

'Rosanna?' asked Picard weakly as Q pressed his hands to Picard's face and began his work.

'Soon,' said Q quietly, 'Very soon.'

Counsellor's Log: Stardate 51784.1 – A miracle has happened. With the aid of Ambassador Spock of Vulcan, Captain Picard has regained his faculties at last. Even Doctor Lennara is staggered by the success of the operation, and believes that the captain will be ready for duty in a few days. Now, all that remains is the immense clear-up operation. Captain Picard does not remember anything after we left _DS9_ nearly three months ago. He has been told that he has been suffering from Altarian Encephalitis, which we managed to catch early, but he still received the long-term memory loss that comes with the disease. Now all we have to do is make sure he never finds out the truth.

Troi stared at Admiral Drayton, the C-in-C of Starfleet. 'You're sure, Admiral?'

Drayton, an affable dark-faced man, smiled slightly. 'Sure I'm sure. We have an Intelligence team scouring the archives for mentions of anybody involved in the mission whose death we can't explain away.'

'Take me through the entire operation,' said Troi calmly. 'We can't take any risks.'

Drayton nodded and picked up a padd from off-screen. 'At the top, any mention of Lieutenant Rosanna Thames has been erased from the archives. Her class details have been altered, her service record removed, and her family sworn to secrecy. Her classmates have been sworn to the same, but with no reason disclosed. Fortunately, depending on how you look at it, her two closest friends have been killed, Michael Regitz and Leanne Sturgess. Her body has been interred in the family estate in England in an unmarked grave. It's highly unlikely that Picard has even heard of the family outside of his marriage.'

Troi nodded. 'Good. What about Admiral Nechayev?'

'That didn't need much work,' said Drayton. 'Alynna's service record now shows that she died in the line of duty shortly after Picard contracted his illness. Her body has been destroyed, as per your instructions, and the entire Admiralty is sworn to secrecy on pain of instant dismissal.' Drayton saw Troi's surprised expression. 'Captain Picard is extremely important to us. We even went to the lengths of renaming Emeralle II just in case.'

'Good,' said Troi. 'Anything else?'

'We've recovered every scrap of evidence regarding the wedding before it was released. Fortunately, there was some form of copyright wrangle between the Federation news press and the private reporters. The material was never used. Again, all those present at the wedding have been sworn to secrecy.'

'How about foreign governments?'

Drayton smiled faintly. 'We have an operative in the Romulan Embassy. The only foreign enemy there was the Romulan Ambassador. At 0800 yesterday, an undetectable poison was slipped into his drink by our operative. They thought it was a heart attack.'

Troi felt sick. 'You certainly have all bases covered, Admiral,' she managed.

Drayton regarded her with a pitying look, but said nothing. Troi recovered her composure and said, 'And you're still checking if we've missed anything?'

Drayton nodded. 'As I said, Starfleet Intelligence has totally erased the last few months from history. I just wish it hadn't been necessary.'

Troi gave him a cold look. 'No more than we do, Admiral.'

Troi smiled as Spock prepared to board his shuttle. He turned, and gave her the Vulcan salute, which she returned quietly. Spock looked at her for a moment. 'You are still worried about him?'

At Troi's nod, Spock said, 'Don't be. He is freed from his anger and his pain at last. He cannot even remember them. As you knew yourself, Captain Picard was a changed man when he returned from the alternate reality. He has lost that now – he is the same man he was after you defeated the Borg.'

Troi nodded slowly. 'It is a pity. The man whom we have come to know combined what is best of Captain Picard and a happiness that we had never before seen in him. And now he has lost the source of that happiness.'

Spock came a little closer to her, forcing Troi to look up at his face. 'He has not lost it,' said Spock. 'He has merely had to forget it for a time. Farewell, Counsellor.'

With that last mysterious statement, Ambassador Spock turned and vanished into the shuttle's darkness.

The bridge crew of the _Enterprise_, from Truper to Riker, was present in the transporter room. A bo'sun held a whistle in his hands, and he glanced nervously at Riker as the commander turned to the transporter chief. 'Energise.'

The transporter glowed with power, and a single figure took shape and solidified on the pad. The blue energy died away, and the bo'sun piped Captain Jean-Luc Picard aboard his ship.

Riker stepped forward, a pleased grin on his face and he and Picard shook hands. 'Nice to have you back, sir,' said the first officer, feeling euphoria take hold of him.

'It's good to be back, Number One,' said Picard, smiling just as broadly. He turned and was greeted by the rest of his crew. Truper shook his hand, Hedly did the same, whilst Crusher and Troi both hugged him excitedly. Data and Geordi both managed to restrain themselves, but both wore broad smiles as they welcomed him.

Picard drew free of the ecstatic embraces, surprised at the fervour of his friends. 'You'd think I'd come back from the dead or something,' he muttered.

He looked at Riker. 'We'd better get underway, Number One,' he said. 'What's our destination?'

'Patrol duty on the Neutral Zone,' said Riker. 'We're ready to go when you are.'

Picard smiled. 'No time like the present.'

The bridge was as quietly noisy as he remembered it the last time he had stepped aboard. He felt that feeling of control that he had lost whilst down on the surface. He took his seat, and turned to look at Ensign Truper. 'Ensign, plot in a course for the Romulan Neutral Zone. Warp six.'

'Aye, sir,' said Truper, laying in the course. 'Warp engines at your command.'

Picard smiled, pleased to be underway on an even keel again. 'Engage.'

The _Enterprise_ gathered herself and leapt into warp speed, away from the past and into the future.


	13. Epilogue: The Woman, Unknown

Epilogue __

Epilogue

Deanna Troi sat on a chair in her quarters, staring out at the Dopplered stars streaking past the _Enterprise_. The door buzzed. 'Come in.'

Riker entered the room, his face concerned. Troi turned to look at him, but didn't smile. The first officer frowned at her. 'What's up?'

Troi sighed. 'Just thinking about what's happened these last few days,' she said. 'Just thinking what a waste they've been.'

Riker nodded solemnly. 'I know what you mean.'

'And that's the biggest shame,' said Troi. 'Two perfectly good lives ruined.'

'Lieutenant Thames and Captain Picard?' asked Riker.

Troi shook her head, feeling despair overwhelming her. 'No. Thames, and Admiral Nechayev. Two people who didn't ask for what fate or God or the Aralla thrust upon them. Just two innocent people, destroyed like that. It's not right.' And at that moment, her voice, which had been cracking, failed and she felt tears spilling down her face.

Riker rushed to her side, and took her in his arms. He held onto her for a moment, letting her tears soak away, before she shook herself and moved away from him, turning to face him, wiping the tears away. 'I'm sorry,' she said eventually. 'I thought I'd got all of this out of my system a few days ago.'

Riker smiled gently at her. 'I don't think we'll ever get this out of our systems,' he said. 'This was bad.'

Troi nodded, and saw the padd in his hand. 'What's that?'

Riker looked confused for a moment, before he remembered the padd he held. He gave it to her. 'This is an Intelligence report that I got a few days ago. I just happened to mention to Admiral Drayton what Ambassador Spock did for the captain, when he gave me this.'

Troi scanned the padd, and she looked up at Riker, stunned. 'According to this, Ambassador Spock never left Romulus. Not even for the wedding.'

'He wasn't invited,' said Riker flatly. 'So who did we have with the captain for the last few days?'

Troi stared out at the stars. 'I guess we'll never know....'

Picard slept uneasily. Troubled images filled his head, random confused pictures of a past that never happened.

Stood over him, watching him sleep quietly, was a slim figure, whose face was hidden by shadow. 'Sleep well,' said a woman's voice, not loud enough to wake him. The tone that was used did not resound in the room, but there was one sensation within the voice – pure unconditional love. 'The first two tests are over. But one still remains. You have done well thus far. All I hope now is that you pass the third.'

So saying, the figure raised a hand, gave Picard another gaze of saddened triumph, and disappeared in a blaze of white light.

__

The End of the Second Book of the Final Reckoning


	14. Part Three: Focal Point - Over Kiros

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Focal Point

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Chapter I

Kiros was a small M-class planet orbiting a small unexceptional star on the Romulan side of the Neutral Zone. Inhabited by a population of humanoid beings, similar in genetic stock to humanity, it was unexceptional, dull almost.

Except when close to, mused Subcommander Serisa, as she stared from the small porthole that was currently facing towards the sunrise portion of Kiros. Golden light flickered along the horizon of the planet, signalling imminent dawn, and from her privileged vantage point, Serisa could see the sunlight racing across the ocean towards the darkened main continent. It was like watching fire creep across a burning page, she thought quietly, marvelling in such a simple yet beautiful event.

The Romulan science ship _Talkaris_ was assigned to an eight month period of observation of the planet Kiros. It was expected that the planet would begin its first space flight experiments very soon, and the Romulan science council was anxious to observe first-hand the results of those experiments. Serisa, an anthropologist, had volunteered for the command of the assignment, and it was at times like this that she felt she had received her reward.

She glanced across at her close friend, Mallara, a geologist, who was currently glowering at a read-out on her screen. 'Problem?'

Mallara shook her head, not looking at her friend. 'Just annoyed at not being able to get down there and look at these results first-hand.'

Serisa nodded understandingly, turning her eyes to the screen itself. It was displaying a scan of a large desert on the second continent. 'What's so interesting?'

'There's a huge deposit of metal buried beneath the sand in the centre of this desert. It's a material I've never seen before, and I'm willing to bet that it's unique. Look at these readings.'

'I'm not a geologist,' Serisa reminded her, but she stepped across the small bridge and leaned over Mallara's shoulder, looking intently at what was displayed.

A huge desert area covered the second continent, one that extended from coast to coast and made the area uninhabited. But deeper scans that were made nearly four hours ago had showed up a huge black mass buried beneath the sand. Serisa stared at it for a long moment, occasionally flicking her gaze to the read-outs, her earlier flippancy replaced by genuine scientific interest. 'Do we know how big this thing is?'

Mallara shook her head, annoyed. 'The scans weren't aimed specifically at the object in question, so I only managed to get a partial picture of it, and that only when I went looking.'

Serisa nodded to herself, and glanced at the ship's position. 'We'll be going over the site again in two hours,' she said. 'We can devote scanner time to it if you like.'

Mallara looked away from the screen for the first time and smiled at her friend. 'Thank you.'

Far below the cloaked _Talkaris_, directly over the point of interest, two Kirosians, both geologists, stood on the burning desert sands and dug laboriously.

Kirosian technology was far below that of the advanced spacefaring civilisation that quietly observed them, but they used what was their most advanced technology to sift away the material of their planet to reveal the hidden secrets within.

A small probe sank slowly into the sand, disappearing from sight, and Beral Dalnar, the older of the two, wiped his faintly ridged brow with his hand and directed a solemn glance at his brother, Elgrad Dalnar. 'Probe set.'

Elgrad nodded and activated a small unit attached to the winch unit attached to the probe. 'It's burrowing down at full speed. No obstructions reported.' He smiled at his brother. 'Good job as well.'

Beral forced back a smile in return. They had spent a frustrating day repairing the sensitive probe after it had been damaged somehow during the long flight from their camp thirty miles away. Only now, with the sun about to set in a couple of hours, did they finally manage to conduct their first experiments.

Elgrad stared at the horizon, working out in his mind the time they had left before the sun dipped below the curve of Kiros. 'I think we'll only have time for once, Beral,' he said quietly. 'Unless you want me to fly in the dark.'

'We should have fitted the helicopter with lights,' remarked Beral.

'We can get the technicians back at base to do it for us,' replied his brother.

At that moment, any further conversation was stopped by a series of loud bleeps from the winch unit. Frowning, Elgrad checked the readings. Beral saw his brother's face suddenly go slack with shock. 'Beral!'

His brother moved to his side, and read the results being displayed on the screen. The probe only sent back numbers, but that information told him that they had found something totally unexpected below the sand. 'What is it?'

'The probe seems to have collided with a huge, solid mass of metal below the surface,' said Elgrad, struggling to recover his scientific detachment. 'It's buried about thirty metres down.'

'Any idea of what the metal is?'

'The probe doesn't seem to be able to identify it,' replied Elgrad.

'Take a sample and withdraw the probe. We'll take it to base camp and come back in the morning,' decided Beral immediately. He smiled excitedly at his brother. 'This was worth waiting all day for, wasn't it?'

Elgrad laughed and nodded. He turned his attention to the probe again as the winch hummed and began to pull the probe and its sample to the surface.

'Coming into scanner range,' reported the pilot, a young man by the name of Jolmar.

'Activating scanners,' acknowledged Serisa. She glanced at Mallara. 'It's all yours.'

'Thank you,' replied her friend. 'Beginning sensor sweep.'

The probing beams swept down through the atmosphere, undetectable, past the two Kirosians, and into the sands of the desert. Almost immediately, they made contact with the mass, and began mapping its structure.

Mallara waited impatiently for the first results to come in, and as they did so, she jumped on them and began analysing them. After a moment, she faced Serisa. 'Our initial scans confirm that the metal is an unknown alloy.'

'Carry on,' said Serisa unnecessarily, as Mallara had already turned back to the screens.

The next couple of minutes were spent in silent contemplation of the stars, as Serisa waited patiently for the scans to be completed. Eventually, Mallara turned to face her friend, her face worried. 'Serisa, this isn't right.'

Serisa frowned. 'How do you mean?'

Mallara glanced at Jolmar, and lowered her voice slightly. 'If I didn't know better, I'd swear that thing down there was artificial.'

Serisa scowled at Mallara, annoyed by the cloak and dagger acting. 'Come out with it, Mallara,' she said, her voice irritated.

Mallara pointed at the screen. 'What we are looking at,' she said, her voice not increasing in volume, 'is a perfect circle of metal, approximately fifteen miles in diameter. Surface mapping indicates that it is carved with decorations and symbols that make no sense to the scanners, but the computer agrees that the symbols all lead, in a spiral, to a central point.'

Serisa felt, for some unknown reason, a chill run down her spine. She dismissed the thought to the back of her mind, and said, 'Any indications as to its purpose or even the reason it was buried?'

Mallara shook her head. 'I want to continue making scans, and I want all scanners running a full probe of its structure.'

Serisa nodded. 'You've got them.' As Mallara turned to her console, Serisa activated the intercom. 'This is Subcommander Serisa. All scanners are now linked to the bridge consoles, scanning the planet's surface. I apologise for the disruption to your experiments, but we believe that we have made a major discovery on Kiros. We will keep you informed. Serisa out.'

Scanner beams are undetectable, unless your technology is equipped to do such a thing. Scanner beams probing the object below the sands of Kiros had been noted and analysed long before, and the observers were being observed in return.

A decision was taken. It was time to end that observation.

Beral put the last piece of equipment gently into the helicopter, and jumped into the cockpit beside his brother, who had already warmed up the motors of the craft. He glanced at Beral. 'Ready to go?'

Beral nodded, but his ears picked up something. 'Did you hear that?'

Elgrad listened, and nodded. 'Like a low rumbling noise?'

At Beral's nod, Elgrad shrugged. 'Thunder,' he said dismissively.

Beral pointed mutely at the clear blue sky, and Elgrad was forced to concede the point. As they silently listened for a moment, the rumbling seemed to get louder. Elgrad said, slowly, 'It's getting louder, but not closer. I think it might be coming from around here –'

As he said that, Beral turned his gaze downward, at the sand that was now vibrating gently. As the rumbling slowly increased from a growl to a quiet roar, Beral seemed to see the sand become more and more agitated. 'Take us up,' he said quietly.

Elgrad had already come to the same conclusion, and he fired up the engine, and lifted the craft from the ground.

'Hell,' whispered Mallara. Serisa heard her, and stepped over.

'What's the problem?'

'I'm reading a power build-up from the object,' said Mallara, her voice hushed. 'I don't know what to make of it.'

Serisa's nerves tightened, but she refused to panic. She turned to Jolmar. 'Get Vrellis up here now,' she said.

Jolmar nodded, and put the call through. A few moments later, Vrellis, a physicist, came through the door, his normally lofty countenance replaced by one of concern. 'You called me?'

Serisa nodded, and motioned for him to take Mallara's place. As he did so, she said, 'We've been reading an enormous power surge from Kiros' surface.'

Vrellis took one look at the figures, and his eyes widened in horror. 'I've never seen a power surge this big in my life.'

Serisa frowned. 'It couldn't be produced by the Kirosians?'

'No chance,' said Vrellis. 'Even we don't have the capability to do something like this.' He looked at Mallara. 'What's been going on up here?'

Beral and Elgrad were now very worried. Far below the hovering helicopter, the sand was moving visibly, shaking from side to side as if placed in a sieve. All of a sudden, an enormous crack of power rang through the air, and a series of gigantic fissures appeared in the desert sands.

Vast tracts of sand ran into the fissures, but that was not what transfixed Beral's and Elgrad's attentions. For from the sand, six immense black pylons of metal lifted up, unfolding themselves slowly, with an undefinable air of menace.

It was obvious that the pylons had lain flat over a central point, and were like a giant door, opening and shutting under command. Each pylon was a hundred metres in length, narrowing from the bottom up to a blunt top that towered past the tiny helicopter, which now hovered over this central point.

Suddenly, the pylons stopped, all perfectly vertical, pointing like a giant hand to the sky. Inside that hand, a vast bowl-like depression filled with sand had formed, nearly a full mile in diameter.

Beral and Elgrad were too stunned by what they saw below them to do anything except watch in terror.

In the centre of the bowl, a small object forced its way up through the sand. Compared to the rest of the mass, it was tiny, but it was a globe of black metal, which shimmered with suppressed power.

A field of green energy radiated suddenly from the globe, vaporising the sand around it. Within seconds, the sand had vanished, allowing Beral, Elgrad and the watchers on the _Talkaris_ to see a vast field of light green energy, the same colour as that from the globe, pouring towards the centre of that point.

A moment later, a beam of that energy was focussed by the globe, and shot into the air, past the startled Kirosians, who were buffeted as if hit by a solid object.

The beam transfixed the _Talkaris_, holding the ship within its confines. Jolmar struggled to keep the shaking craft under control, as Serisa stumbled to her command chair. 'Report!' she shouted over the noise.

'A field similar to a tractor beam has captured us and held us in place, Subcommander,' said Vrellis coolly. 'We are not being scanned.'

'Can you break us free?'

Jolmar shook his head. 'No, Subcommander! It's too strong for impulse, and we'll tear apart if we go to warp!'

Serisa never had time for another command.

Below Beral and Elgrad, a crackling ball of white energy formed over the globe of metal. Tendrils of plasma spiralled from the edges of the bowl towards the centre, enlarging the ball of power, until, without warning, it flashed into the sky, directed along the green beam of energy.

Flashing through the helicopter, Beral and Elgrad were vaporised in an instant. They never knew what hit them.

Vrellis spotted the beam an instant before it struck, and shouted, 'Brace -!'

The white ball of fire slammed into the _Talkaris_, shattering the science ship into flame and debris. As it burned for a brief time before extinguishing itself, the green energy faded.

In the desert, the pylons closed slowly over the depression, leaving no trace of its existence to any outsiders. As sand closed once again over its black hull, the destroyer waited patiently.

It had been found, and risks could not be taken.

Far away from the darkness, a man clutched at a glass convulsively. The water inside sloshed about, as it's holder's hand shook as he raised it to his lips.

It spilled some onto his uniform trousers, and a curse in French escaped his lips. He stood, set the glass down, and brushed ineffectively at the stain.

After a moment, he gave up, and decided to change his trousers quickly. He was on duty in a few minutes. He stepped into the bathroom – and stopped, staring at his reflection in the mirror.

Reaching out, his hand brushed something only he could see – the cheek of a young, dark-haired woman, smiling at him gently, love shining in her eyes.

Tears ran down the cheeks of this man, as he whispered her name over and over again, in a tortured voice that spoke of pain beyond that which should be endured.

A moment later, her face faded, replaced by his own. He stared, lost for a moment, hand still outstretched. Fury crossed his face, and his hand curled to become a fist, and, almost nonchalantly, he drove his fist into the mirror, shattering it.

As he stared for a moment at the spiderweb of cracks that spread along the glass surface, and then turned his attention to his bleeding fist, he remembered the face again, and Jean-Luc Picard turned, his face weary with shock, tears still trickling from his eyes, and slumped to the floor, whispering a single name over and over.

'Rosanna....'


End file.
